Rule Number 4
by donnag76
Summary: After the events of "Family First," Tony discovers Ziva is alive. To find her and protect Tali, he will need help. He finds it from an unexpected source. Standard disclaimers apply. I own nothing. CBS & other entities do. If I did, Tiva would have gotten much better treatment. Reviews are appreciated. Be gentle. It's my first attempt at a Tiva fanfic. Happy reading. TIVA FOREVER!
1. Chapter 1

**Rule #4**

**Chapter 1**

Tony DiNozzo drove home slowly. He wasn't sure it was on purpose, but he was too lost in thought to pay much attention. A few years ago, he would have been euphoric about ending the life of the man who caused him so many problems. Then, when the adrenaline-fueled exhilaration ended, he and Ziva would have… He breathed deeply and let it out. There was no way he could finish that sentence…not now and possibly not ever.

Part of him sincerely hoped his father was taking a nap when he arrived home. Tony didn't think he was up to Senior's latest attempt at bonding. Tony really, _really_ wanted to be left alone with his thoughts and process the last two days. He collapsed onto the first resting place he found, which happened to be the sofa.

"Is that you, Junior?"

Tony groaned and bit back a curse word. "Yeah, Dad," he finally said.

"I was just checking on Tali while she's napping," Senior said. "She's really something, isn't she?"

"She is," Tony agreed. There was no denying that little girl was going to change everyone's life. He turned to swing his legs onto the sofa in an attempt to stretch out, but his feet connected with something.

"I'll get it," his father said. "It's Tali's go-bag. I'll set it under the…" Something flipped in Tony's head. He sat up abruptly and grabbed for the little girl's duffle. "What's wrong, Junior?"

"Tali has a go-bag."

"I know. I unpacked it."

"No," Tony ground out in frustration. "_Tali_ has a _go-bag_," he repeated, emphasizing the last part of the sentence.

Senior sat beside his son as the younger DiNozzo peered inside the bag. "I'm not sure I'm following you, Son."

Tony took a deep breath and ran a hand across his face before continuing. "If you found a child in a fire-bombed building, how would you gather their things? You would grab whatever you could lay your hands on and cram them into the bag as fast as you can so you could get the kid out of there." He sat her bag on the table in front of them. "This bag was packed. The clothes were all folded and the contents arranged."

"And what random stranger would think to grab a picture with you in it?" Senior ventured.

"Right." Tony saw that his father may be getting what he was saying. "And Kelev."

"The stuffed dog?"

"Yeah. Tali's favorite toy. He was put inside by someone who knew how important he is to her."

Senior furrowed his brow and looked at Tony. "So, what you're saying is Tali's bag wasn't some haphazard action, but it was packed for her?" Tony nodded. "You think it was Ziva, don't you?"

Tony decided to go all-in. _If you want us to be more honest with each other, Dad, better be careful what you wish for_. "Yes." When his father didn't immediately respond with a protest, he continued. "My gut tells me she's still alive." He gestured to the bag with his hands. "It also tells me that the clues of where to find her are in here."

"Why would she want the rest of the world to think she is dead?"

"I don't know," Tony admitted, "but, she'll tell me when I find her."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Rule Number 4."

Senior looked puzzled. "Rule Number 4?" He processed it for a moment. "One of the infamous Gibbs Rules?"

"_If you have a secret, the best thing is to keep it to yourself. The second-best is to tell one other person if you must. There is no third best,_" he quoted.

"What's the secret? That she's alive or where she's hiding?"

"Neither," Tony said after a minute. "I mean, that's part of it, but, there's something more. Ziva wouldn't go to all this trouble if it was just about her. She has this misbegotten idea that she's expendable."

"Abba," a small voice called from Tony's bedroom.

A light of understanding came into Tony's eyes. Senior recognized the moment of elucidation. He nodded toward the bedroom. "I think you have your answer."

"The secret she can't keep to herself and _has_ to tell is Tali. I'm the one she has to tell because it's _my_ secret, too." Tony vocalized what they were both thinking.

"What about the people at NCIS? Some of them know she's your daughter."

"It's not _who_. It's _where_ and they _don't_ have to know that."

"Junior, whatever you need me to do, I'll do it. I want to help."

"Thanks, Dad," Tony said with a genuine smile.

"Abba!" the voice called out more adamantly.

"I'm coming, Baby," he replied. Tony went to see what his daughter wanted. Now that he knew what he needed to do, he needed to figure out how to do it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Rule #4**

**Chapter 2**

By the time he had a chance to sit down and thoroughly investigate the contents of Tali's go-bag, Tony was no longer an NCIS agent. The most surprising part of it all was how easy it was to make the decision. It was obvious to everyone that he would leave for Tali. He _did_ love his little girl and would do whatever it took to watch over her, but it wasn't only about her. It was also about Ziva. She was as big a part of it as Tali. They were a package deal.

On the table in front of him were two items: the photograph of him and Ziva and Ziva's scarf. They were where they had been for the last hour. Tony had stared at them until his head was starting to hurt. He ran his hands over his face and rubbed tired eyes. He willed his brain to make sense of everything. A few facts were clear. Ziva David was alive. The items she'd left in Tali's bag were for Tony and they were clues to her whereabouts. Using them to figure out the clues was what had him stumped. "C'mon, DiNozzo. _Think_. You can figure this out. You're a cop. It's what you do. It's what you _are_."

"That's not exactly true, Junior." Without waiting to be asked, Senior came and took a seat beside his son. "You are a cop, a very good one, but it's not what you are. You are Tali's father. You are the love of Ziva's life. Like it or not, you're my son. That's what you _are_."

"Thanks, Dad," Tony said. He let out a long breath. "If I were _that_ good of a cop, I could figure out what she's trying to tell me."

"Maybe you're looking too hard."

"Or not hard enough."

Senior picked up the scarf. "Are you sure these are all of the out of the ordinary things from Tali's luggage?"

"I've gone through that go-bag with a fine-tooth comb. These are the only two things that wouldn't be…useful."

Senior looked at the item in his hands. "They say that smell is the sense most closely related to memory. There's some sort of perfume on it. Did you smell it?"

"Yeah," Tony answered absently, staring at the photograph.

The elder DiNozzo sniffed the scarf. "It doesn't smell like Ziva."

"Huh?"

"The perfume on this scarf," Senior repeated. "It doesn't smell like Ziva. It smells like…"

Suddenly, it clicked. "Israel," Tony finished. He took the scarf from his father. "This wasn't the perfume she wore. I found a bottle of it in her apartment once and I asked her about it. Ziva said she kept it because the smell reminded her of home. When she would get homesick, she would bring out this perfume and smell it." He spread out the cloth in his hands. "There they are," he announced.

"There what are, Junior?"

"I bought this for her. We were out one day and she saw this scarf some vendor was selling at an open-air market downtown. I told her I would buy her a better one, a real silk scarf, but Ziva insisted on this one." Tony pointed to the line of trees that ran along the hem. "She said they reminded her of the olive trees in her family's grove in Israel."

"So, she's in Israel," Senior stated. "Go get her."

Tony gave a cynical laugh. "It's not that simple, Dad."

"Maybe it is. Maybe it _is_ that simple and you're just not seeing it."

"No pressure, right? Thanks for the vote of confidence. Guess that's why I'm not the right man for the job, huh?"

"No. It's why you're the _perfect_ man for the job. You work well under pressure. You're the point guard, the playmaker. That's why Ziva trusts you to figure this out. What you have to do is trust yourself."

Tony blinked, almost not believing what he just heard. He didn't expect compliments from his father. "Thanks." He ran his fingers through his hair. "I can't be wrong, Dad. Not about this. It's too important. I have _one_ shot. I can't mess this up."

"You won't," Senior assured him. "You know Ziva better than anyone. Where do you think she is?"

Tony looked at the scarf before he raised it to his nose and inhaled. "I think she's at the farmhouse."

"The one that was bombed?"

"Yeah. It's the connection with the olive groves." He ran a finger gently over an embroidered tree. "I can't explain it. I don't know _how_, but…that's where she is." Tony blew out a long breath. "So, it looks like we're going to Israel."

"I know someone in the area who can get us in pretty under the radar," Senior said.

"Dad," Tony said, "I know you want to help, but I don't need some sheik and his oil wells trying to sneak us in on his private jet."

His father didn't try to hide his annoyance. "It's not some phony business contact. He's an agent for Interpol."

"Interpol? How do _you_ know an agent for Interpol?"

"Because, I am one, too…or was." Tony stared at his father, unable to say anything. Senior continued, "You and Ziva aren't the only ones capable of having your secrets, Junior. This is neither the time nor the place for the complete discussion, but you've always wanted to know why I dumped you in boarding schools and summer camps? It's because that was the safest place for you. This thing is bigger than _all_ of us and what matters is Tali. You are a wonderful agent and a brilliant cop, but, if you need help hiding your child from trained killers, maybe you can take the advice of someone who has actually done it."

It was a rare occurrence that Tony DiNozzo was rendered speechless, but he was…completely. His mind rushed to process the information he'd been given. His father just told him that he was a former Interpol agent. Senior…an agent. If he took the time to think about it, Tony knew it made sense. That would explain so much. However, right now, he couldn't afford to stop and ponder how Senior could keep something like _this_ hidden for so long. With a mental shake of his head, he composed himself. "Can…this person be trusted?" Tony finally managed to say.

"I wouldn't have mentioned it if he couldn't." Senior put a hand on his son's arm. "Junior, when I said I would do anything I could to help, I meant it. I screwed up with you. There's no getting around that, but I love you. I love Ziva and, even though it's only been two days, I'm head-over-heels for my granddaughter. You deserve your shot at happiness and to do that, we have to find Ziva."

Tony sat quietly for a minute before making his decision. "When can you get in touch with him?"

Senior looked at his watch. "I can try tonight, but, with the time difference, I'm not sure if I can hear anything before tomorrow."

"Tomorrow is fine."

"Why don't you try to grab some shut-eye while Tali is napping?" Senior advised when he saw his son stifle a yawn.

"I think I may."

"I'm going to see if I can reach my guy." Senior patted Tony's knee. "Don't worry, Son. It'll all work out."

"Thanks, Dad." After his father left, Tony picked up the photograph from the table and sank back against the couch. "_At lo levad__, Ziva," _he said to the image of the woman he loved._ "__At lo levad__." _It seemed like ages ago he'd told her she wasn't alone. Now, it seemed, neither was he. 

**Author's note: I am amazed at the response to Chapter 1. I'm humbled. Thanks so much to Jen and Beth for their encouragement and help. A big "thank you" to my BFF for the big compliment I could get by saying she could see this playing out in her head like it was an episode. Reviews would be awesome. TIVA FOREVER!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Rule #4**

**Chapter 3**

Tony walked slowly toward the farmhouse. It was easier to identify someone trying to follow him if he were on foot rather than in a car. He was also less likely to spook Ziva this way. She would be on the lookout for any strange vehicles and avoid them. Gradually, the farmhouse came into view. Tony stopped. The sight of the blackened shell of the building made him want to vomit. To think that Tali and Ziva were in there… His little girl could have been trapped under one of those charred timbers, unable to escape from the raging flames he'd watched burn from so far away. The reality of how easily Ziva _really _could be dead hit him like a punch to the gut. He hated whoever was responsible, whoever tried to hurt his family. Suddenly, Tony couldn't stay there any longer. He set his course in the direction of the olive grove.

He ambled in and out of the rows of trees, touching their trunks and leaves. Eventually, Tony found himself at the spot he remembered being with Ziva. Memories flooded back, not just of their time together in Israel, but from the first time she sauntered into the squad room and accused him of having phone sex. He smiled. This woman managed to engrain herself into every facet of his life. He didn't need the truth serum to admit to himself that he couldn't live without her. Telling _her_ took longer than it should have. Part of him died when he saw the engulfed building on television. Thankfully, it was reborn when he realized exactly what the clues in Tali's bag meant.

"Tony."

He'd heard that voice yell out his name in warning. He'd heard it speak his name in anger. He'd heard it spoken with laughter and even repeated in the throes of passion. However, it never sounded as sweet as it did just now. It wasn't a question, but more of a statement. Tony wasn't surprised he hadn't heard her approach, a combination of her ninja-like skills and his preoccupation. Three years ago, he'd made the hardest 180 of his life. This was undoubtedly the easiest 180 he would ever make. He turned slowly, almost afraid he would find it was a figment of his imagination. She was real, though. There in front of him, a little thinner and more tired than when he last saw her, but definitely alive. "Ziva," he said. His voice sounded rusty and raw like he hadn't spoken in a long time. Taking a chance, Tony held out him arms and Ziva walked into them. There were things they needed to talk about, questions that needed to be answered, decisions to be made…but not right now. Those things could wait. For now, all either of them needed was the security of each other's arms.

She was the first to break the silence. "You came."

"I'll always come for you," he replied. "That's the deal, remember?"

Ziva pulled him tighter. "I have missed you…so much."

"Missed you, too," Tony replied. He kissed the top of her head. "God, how I've missed you."

Reluctantly, Ziva loosened her hold on Tony enough to allow her to look at him. "Tali?"

"Tali is perfectly safe. She's with my father."

"Your father?"

Tony saw the puzzled look she wore. "It turns out Senior is a retired Interpol agent. Somehow he failed to mention this fact for _my entire life_."

"Your _father_?" she repeated.

"Yeah, I know, it seems weird, but you should see them together. It boggles the mind." Ziva laughed softly. Tony cupped her cheek, caressing it with his thumb. He leaned in and kissed her. "I can't let whoever's after you kill me before I get what I came for," he told her with a playful grin.

"We need to talk," Ziva said, echoing his thoughts from earlier.

"We do," Tony agreed, "but later. Right now, only one thing needs to be said." He stared directly into the brown eyes that had always been able to see into his very soul and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "I love you, Ziva David. I think I always have and I know I always will."

Tears were leaking out the corners of her eyes. "I love you, Anthony DiNozzo."

He pulled her against him and rubbed her back. "Thinking I had lost you was the worst thing that had ever happened to me. I don't care _what_ happens from here on in, as long as we're together, we'll make it work."

Ziva wrapped her arms around Tony and rested her head against his chest. There_ was_ a lot for them to talk about. There were decisions to be made and explanations to be given. However, it _could_ wait. In this moment, nothing else mattered…not NCIS or Mossad or Interpol or even Senior and Tali. He put all of that out of his mind for the present. There was nothing except Tony, Ziva, and a reunion that was a long time in coming.

**Author's Note: Once again, I am flabbergasted at the response to this story. I'm speechless. I will respond to the reviews whenever this glitch gets fixed and lets me see them all. Thanks, again, to Jen and Beth. I couldn't do it without you. Thanks to my BFF for her constant support. Reviews are wanted and welcomed. TIVA FOREVER!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Rule Number 4**

**Chapter 4**

She was there, holding his hand, but Tony still wanted to pinch himself and make sure he wasn't dreaming. Ziva was there, standing in front of him talking. He was looking her in the face, watching her mouth move, but he couldn't have repeated back a word she said.

"Tony? Tony?! Tony!"

He realized Ziva was calling his name. "Sorry. I, uh, zoned out for a minute." He rubbed his free hand across his eyes and down his face. "I'm still having a little trouble believing …"

Ziva's expression softened. "Me, too." She patted his cheek. He smiled. "Now I remember why I could never say 'no' to Tali."

"Dad is fond of saying she's all DiNozzo," Tony told her. "Apparently, he's never looked at her eyes."

"They seem to get along very well."

"You don't know the half of it," Tony replied. "If we aren't careful, they're going to become Dr. Evil and his Mini Me." They laughed. "We really _do_ need to talk, don't we?"

"Yes," Ziva conceded.

"Okay, but there needs to be rules."

"Rules?"

"Yep. Rules. Rule Number One is, no one leaves. You can scream, cry, curse, throw things…whatever, but you do not leave. Nothing gets solved if one or both of us decide to walk away," Tony explained. "I've already said, no matter what comes up, we can work through it as long as we're together."

"Agreed," Ziva said. "What is Rule Two?"

"We don't stop talking until we reach a solution. Everything gets talked out…everything."

"Can we do this?" Ziva asked.

"We _have_ to do this," Tony said. "It's not about me. It's not about you. It's about us, about family…_our_ family. As long as it works for us, no one else matters." He noticed the apprehension in her eyes. He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. "I know that this means talking about Tali and, yeah, some of it's gonna be rough, but nothing you say will change the way I feel. I. Love. You." Tony smiled a boyish smile. "I don't think I'll ever get tired of saying that. I, Anthony DiNozzo love you, Ziva David."

"And I, Ziva David, love you, Anthony DiNozzo."

"Even when you didn't need a man in your life?"

Ziva blinked and looked at Tony, head cocked to one side. "What do you mean?"

"That's what Orli told me."

"When?"

"The day she brought Tali to NCIS."

"Why would she say that to you?"

"That was how she explained your keeping Tali's existence a secret from me."

Ziva was even more puzzled. "A secret? I do not understand. I _never_ intentionally kept Tali's existence from you. I sent Orli to DC to tell you I was pregnant."

"Someone needed to tell the nefarious Ms. Elbaz," Tony fumed, "because I never knew _a thing_ until Tali walked into Vance's office the day after the farmhouse was bombed." He saw the color had drained from Ziva's face and mentally kicked himself. "Hey, Zi, listen. It's not your fault. I'm angry, but not at you." He glanced around. "Let's sit down under this tree and, uh, catch our breath, okay?" He knew Ziva well-enough to know when something wasn't right and, right now, something wasn't right. He guided her to the ground and sat beside her. He took her hand in both of his. "Look at me, Sweet Cheeks." The sound of his nickname for her brought a small smile. "I'm sorry if you thought I was mad at you. I'm not. I've never trusted Orli and her double-crossing us is just the thing she would do."

"When I found out I was pregnant, I…was not in a good place," Ziva finally said. "Tali changed it…changed _me_."

"She's good for that," Tony said, a proud smile on his face.

"I loved her from the very beginning, but seeing her… It became _real_." Speaking of their daughter caused her to relax slightly. "When I saw the first ultrasound, I knew I could not continue as I had been. I understood what you meant when you said you would change with me." Ziva laid her head against the trunk of the tree. "I contacted Orli. I do not _like_ her any more than I have in the past, but I knew she would be capable of using her position and remain inconspicuous. I asked her to give you a message, a sealed envelope with a letter and picture from the sonogram inside. A few days later, she came back and returned the letter. She told me…" Ziva stopped to compose herself as she relived the moment in her mind. "She told me that you opened it, but refused to keep it when you saw what was inside."

Tony laced their fingers together. "I swear on my life that I did not know you were pregnant, because, if I did, I would have been right here, whether you wanted me or not."

"Orli being Orli, she read the letter. She said that she would keep my secret _if_ I would do something for her in return."

"_Blackmail?!_" Tony said incredulously. "She blackmailed a pregnant woman into doing her dirty work." He appeared calm for Ziva's sake, but, inwardly, he seethed. "When she brought Tali to me, she said you kept her from me because you did not need a man in your life to make it complete. She said you didn't tell me you were pregnant because you didn't want to disrupt my life."

Ziva let out a bitter laugh. "She told _me_ that you had moved on and it was best that I left you in the past. You needed your chance at happiness that didn't include me."

"Shows what she knows." He raised their joined hands to his lips and kissed her knuckles. "There's no happily ever after for me without you."

"Where does that leave us?" Ziva asked quietly.

"Sitting under a tree in Israel?" Tony replied. "I had three years to stew over what happened between us. I went through all the stages of grief except the last one…acceptance, and I _never_ stopped loving you. For years, you've been trying to atone for your past. There's no need to do that anymore. Bury it, Ziva. Bury it in the rubble of that farmhouse. We have too much looking forward." He sat quietly for a moment. "Trent Kort is dead."

"Kort?"

"Yeah. I shot him."

"You _shot_ him?"

"He shot first. Actually, we _all_ shot him, I think, but I shot him first."

"Tony…"

"That's not the point, though. The point is, he was the man responsible for the mortar attack and now he's dead. I know you sent Tali to me to keep her safe. The threat's been eliminated. We can be a family now."

Tears came to her eyes. Tony had done so much already for her…for them. Ziva hated to break the news to him that this was far from over. She truly loved this man. "The threat isn't over, Tony."

"Kort's dead," he countered. "I _know_ he's dead."

"He may have arranged the attack, but he is not the threat." Tony stared at her incredulously. "I have been in touch with…a contact."

"Adam?"

Ziva neither confirmed nor denied his suspicion. "My contact told me that this was just the beginning. Someone wants me dead."

"Then we find them," Tony stated plainly. "It will be a little harder to do since I resigned, but…"

"No, Tony," she said. "Not 'we.'"

"Yes, 'we.' It's always 'we.'"

"I cannot let you help me. Not this time." Ziva looked at their hands. "There are more important things at stake."

"Tali."

Ziva nodded. "Whoever wants me dead, I cannot let them find her."

"They won't. I promise." Tony looked into her eyes. "Let me take care of both of you."

Ziva cupped his cheek with her free hand. "The risk is too great."

"I…I can't lose you, not after I just found you again."

"You will not lose me," Ziva vowed. "I will stay in contact. I do not know how often, but I will."

"What am I supposed to tell Tali?"

"_We_ will tell her," she said, making the decision suddenly, "but not in Israel. It is much too dangerous."

"Where?"

"I do not know. I need to learn more about the situation. I will get a message to you and let you know where we can meet."

"I hate this _so_ much," Tony said. "I came here to bring you home."

Ziva rested her forehead against his. "I know this is not what you want. It is not what _I_ want, but for now, this is how it must be." She separated their intertwined fingers and placed both of her hands on Tony's face. She kissed him tenderly. "Tony…" That was all she managed to get out before the emotions overtook her.

Immediately, his arms were around her, drawing her to him. Their tears mingled as they held each other. "_At lo levad__," _he whispered, "no matter where we are."

_"__At lo levad__," _she repeated. "Never again."

A week later, Tony was idly flipping channels on the hotel television, trying to find something to occupy his mind. A week and still no word from Ziva. He knew she would be overly cautious, but he was growing impatient. He needed to see her. He needed to know she was alright.

A whirlwind in pink blew into the room. "Abba!" Tali called as she launched herself at him.

"Whoa there, Baby Girl," he said, catching her and swinging her onto the sofa. "Whatcha got?" he asked. Tali proudly held up the book she'd brought from the bedroom suite they shared. "_Hop on Pop_," he said, looking at the cover. "Good choice."

"Read, Abba."

"You want me to read this to you?" Tali's curls bounced as she nodded vigorously. "Alrighty. Let's get you settled in here..." He tried to settle her beside him, but the little girl crawled onto his lap. Tony smiled. "_Hop on Pop_ by Dr. Seuss," he read aloud.

Halfway through the story, there was a knock at the door. "I'll get it," Senior told them. "Keep reading." He returned a few moments later carrying a small box. "That was the concierge. There's a package for you, Junior." He handed it to Tony.

"A package?" Tony's mind worked quickly. There weren't many people who knew where he was staying. Those who did know could have contacted him directly. He closed the book and laid it on the cushion. "Since we are almost done with this one, why don't you go pick out another book for us to read?" he told Tali. While he was almost positive the package was harmless, he would not take a chance with his daughter in the room.

His father sensed what he was doing. "Here, Sweetheart. Grandpa will go with you. I want to choose one, too." Senior held out his hand to his granddaughter. Tali took it and slid from her father's lap.

Once they were safely out of the room, Tony sat the box on the table in front of him. He took a deep breath and eased the lid off the box. Nothing sprang out at him or exploded. He blew out the breath and parted the paper. Nestled inside was a DVD, the Marx Brothers' _A Night at the Opera_. He withdrew it and stared at the cover. A smile spread across his face as he realized what he held. This was Ziva's message, a message only he would understand.

"Movie, Abba," Tali said when she came back into the room.

"Yes, it is," he said. He scooped his daughter into his arms and kissed her before sitting her on his lap. "I have some news. Tali and Abba and Grandpa are going on another trip."

"A trip?" Senior said, eyeing him warily. "Where?"

Tony took one more look at the movie he held. "Cairo."

**Author's Note: So, here it is...my version of "the talk." I am floored by the response to this story. Thank you so much to everyone who has taken time to like, follow, favorite, or review. It means a lot. Thanks to my BFF for her unwavering support. Who knows how many times I would have stopped if it wasn't for her. Thanks to Beth and Jen for your encouragement and help, especially when I was stuck for two days on the same paragraph. :) Reviews are awesome! Happy Reading and, as always, TIVA FOREVER! **


	5. Chapter 5

**Rule Number 4**

Chapter 5

Of all the people Tony DiNozzo expected to see at the Cairo Opera House, Adam Eschel was not one of them. Not only did he not expect to see Adam, he didn't _want_ to see Adam. It was his experience that nothing good ever happened when Adam was involved. Tony was milling around the entrance, trying his best to look inconspicuous while on the lookout for Ziva when an all-too-familiar voice spoke his name.

"Anthony DiNozzo."

He turned slowly, steeling himself for this meeting. "Adam," he replied coolly. "I didn't know you liked the opera."

"Probably as much as you do," Adam replied, "but we both know that's not why you're here."

"How about you enlighten me, then since you know me so well."

The Shin Bet officer stepped closer to Tony. "Listen, DiNozzo. I know there is no love-loss between us, but I am not here to start anything. I am here to take you to Ziva."

"Ziva?"

"I do not have time to answer your questions because I do not have answers," Adam explained. "All I know is you are to follow me."

Tony had been in the business long enough to smell a set-up from a mile away. He could also tell when someone was lying. He didn't detect any of that in Eschel's face. "Lead the way," he finally said. The pair began a trek that led them through the Opera House, down a secluded hallway, past dressing rooms and rehearsal areas, and eventually back outside. It was on the tip of his tongue to ask where they were going when Adam stopped.

"At the bottom of that staircase is a door. That is where you will find...what you're looking for."

Tony realized he would not be following him. He may not like the man, but Adam Eschel had been a friend and aide to Ziva, even now. He extended his hand. "_Toda_, Adam," he said. "_Toda raba_."

The two men briefly eyed each other. After a pause, Adam took his hand. "_B__evakasha_, Tony." He released his grip and exited as silently as he'd entered.

Tony walked carefully down the staircase, trying to ignore the feeling of uneasiness growing in his stomach. Ziva trusted Adam and there was no reason he shouldn't. That was then, though. His entire world had been turned upside-down and inside-out in the past month. The list of people to be trusted was small and he wasn't sure if it should grow. Orli could have gotten to Adam. Tony _still_ didn't trust her. The person behind the attempt on Ziva's life could have gotten to Adam. "Get ahold of yourself, DiNozzo," Tony mumbled. "This is Ziva and Ziva would _never_ lead you into a trap. Why are you worried? Why are you talking to yourself?" He reached the bottom of the stairs and saw the door. Taking a deep breath, he grasped the knob.

The inside was dim. Tony let his eyes adjust to the change in light. He was suddenly very thankful for every hour of training he'd received. His senses were heightened. He made his way down a long hallway. He muttered to himself, "Only you would find a hiding place in the actual basement of an opera house, David."

"And only you would come searching for me in the actual basement of an opera house, DiNozzo," a voice said from the shadows. Ziva stepped out from one of the side rooms and into Tony's path.

"This is all very _Phantom of the Opera_," Tony said. "All that's missing is Lon Chaney and the creepy organ music." He looked around. "Somehow, it fits us, though."

Ziva chuckled. "I think you are right." They moved toward each other and embraced. Neither said anything for a long minute. "I cannot be sure that even these walls do not have ears," she whispered.

"Check your front pocket," he whispered back. "We can talk there."

Ziva kissed him gently on the cheek and gave Tony one final squeeze. "This time, I will find _you_."

"I'm counting on it." They came apart reluctantly. He gave her his patented smile. Ziva walked backward for a few steps. Tony held up his hand in the raised thumb, forefinger, and pinky sign for "I love you." Ziva blew him a kiss which he pretended to catch. Tony turned and retraced his steps to the door, purposefully not watching the love of his life walk away. Another feeling returned, not of dread exactly, but that this wouldn't be their last clandestine meeting. Tony walked into the fading sunlight, readying himself for the next leg of this long, complicated journey.

**Author's Note: Sorry it has taken so long to update, but real life and a small writer's block got in the way. I'm still amazed by the response to this story. Thanks to Jen and Beth for their help with a couple of the rocky parts. A big shout out to my BFF for always being my #1 fan. Reviews are wanted and welcomed. Happy reading and TIVA forever!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Rule Number 4**

Chapter 6

Tony checked his watch for about the twentieth time. At least he'd quit pacing. He got on his own nerves doing that. He heard the giggles from the other room where his daughter was playing, blissfully ignorant of the circumstances that brought her to a fourth different place to sleep and play in a month. Among her other traits, Tali was resilient. He liked to think she got that from him. She was going to need to be for the next... Tony sighed. He had no idea how long this would last. It could be days, weeks, or even years before this situation was settled.

He walked to look out the small window on the door and stuck his hands on in his pockets to keep from looking at his watch again. Tony consoled himself with the fact that Ziva would be overly cautious, especially since Tali was involved. She would take her time and make double sure she wasn't being followed. He leaned against the wall and silently thanked whatever source his father used to find this safehouse. A house was exponentially better for them than a hotel. Hotels didn't have a back door. Here, there were escape routes and hiding places for Tali. He never said, but Tony had the distinct feeling Senior had been here before, not that he was complaining. All the better if he knew nooks and crannies even Tony hadn't discovered yet.

"See anything?"

Tony jumped and instinctively reached for a gun that was no longer there. "Geez, Dad!" he blurted. "Give me a heart attack, why don't ya?"

"Sorry, Junior. Any sign of Ziva?"

"Yes, Dad. That's why I'm still standing here looking out the window." Still agitated, he added, "Why aren't you with Tali?"

"She wanted a snack," Senior replied. "Sounds like you need one, too."

Tony ran a hand through his hair. "I'm just... I should have heard something by now, shouldn't I?"

"Maybe, but you know as well as I that she'll be careful where her family is involved."

"That's what I told myself. Ziva will be careful because of Tali."

"And you," Senior added. "_Family_, Junior. Don't forget, you're part of this, too."

"I know. It's just gonna take some getting used to."

"Junior, whether you realize it or not, it's _always_ been about you and Ziva. Now, there's Tali, who is just an extension of both of you." The older man glanced out the window. "While Ziva would walk through the fires of Hell to get to her family, don't expect her to walk down the sidewalk."

"G'anpa!" sounded from the other room.

"The boss is calling." Senior clapped Tony on the shoulder. "She'll be here."

When his father left to go to the kitchen, Tony resumed staring into the front yard. Senior was right, of course. Ziva would come in _her_ way and no other. In reality, he wouldn't expect anything less. There were other aspects to consider. In Israel, Ziva had said they would tell Tali _together_ about their...situation. He wondered exactly what they would tell her when it all wasn't clear to _them_ yet. He hoped Ziva had a better plan than he did.

"Junior."

"In a minute, Dad."

"Uh, Junior, you need to come now."

Tony got a chill. His dad sounded surprised. Given their current circumstances, that wasn't necessarily a good thing. Wishing for his absent gun, he rushed to the safehouse bedroom Tali had claimed. He froze when he entered.

"Look, Abba! Ima here!"

"I... see that." Tony saw the smirk play on Ziva's face. Right now, he didn't even care that she'd bested him by sneaking into the house unnoticed.

What _didn't_ go unnoticed was the fact that the two of them hadn't taken their eyes off of each other since Tony walked through the door. Senior volleyed a look between Tony and Ziva. He squatted in front of his granddaughter. "Since your Ima is here, I think we need to celebrate. How about we have a special tea party, just for her?"

"Tali an' Abba, too?"

"Of course, Tali and Abba."

"An' G'anpa?"

"And Grandpa."

The little girl cocked her head to the side in thought, trying to remember if she'd forgotten anyone. "Kelev?" she asked.

"We _can't_ have a tea party without Kelev." He straightened and held out his hand. Tali took it without question. "We're going to go and make the tea," he told them before leading his granddaughter to the kitchen.

"Tali uses _real_ tea for her tea parties?" Ziva asked.

"Oh, yes. Senior insists. He brews it himself," Tony explained. "He makes real sandwiches, too. Cuts off the crusts, the whole nine yards. I tried to eat Kelev's once and he smacked my hand." Ziva laughed. "I tried to tell you, but you really have to see it to believe it."

"That is very sweet."

"Actually, it is. Dad has been...he's been great. As strange as it is to say, I don't know what I would have done without him, especially..." Tony stopped. The feelings of that day in the squad room washed over him. For a minute, it was as real as it had been then. Fear. Anger. Rage. Grief. Disbelief. Frustration. He sat on the edge of Tali's bed, staring at his hands. It was a long minute before he spoke. "Dad was the only person who didn't treat me like I was crazy for not thinking you were dead. He was the only one I let see me cry." Ziva moved to sit beside him and laid her head on his shoulder. "I couldn't believe it. I _wouldn't_ believe it. I had a meltdown in the middle of the squad room. I could have torn Gibbs apart with my bare hands and felt no regret. For a minute, I considered it."

"What stopped you?"

"He wasn't worth it." Ziva raised her head and looked at him quizzically. "No matter what I said or did, he wasn't going to do _anything_. He...didn't care. If he did, he hid _very well_," Tony finished with a sarcastic laugh.

"I knew you would be hurt," Ziva said. "That is why I let you know as soon as I could. I knew you could find the clues. You _know_ me. I knew I could trust you to find me. That's why I waited at the farmhouse."

"Speaking of the farmhouse, you said we would explain to Tali why you were going to have to go away," Tony reminded. "Any idea how we're gonna do that?"

"Together?" she suggested with a grin.

"Always, but you're dodging the question, David."

Tali burst into the room and raced straight for her parents. "Tea, Ima!" She took Ziva by the hand and tried to drag her from her seat.

"Tali, your Abba and I..."

"Tea, Ima!" the child repeated. When her persistent tugging didn't work, Tali sought reinforcements. "Abba?!" She turned pleading eyes to her father.

Ziva looked to Tony apologetically. She knew there was more they needed to talk about. He was right. They hadn't even _started_ discussing how to break the news to their daughter.

Tony responded by standing and taking Ziva up with him. "Looks like we have a tea party to attend." Tali squealed and clapped before dashing out as quickly as she came in. "We can talk later," he told her, squeezing her hand. "Let's be honest, facing what we're facing, how many more opportunities like this are we going to have? We need to store up all the good memories we can _while_ we can. It may be a while before we can make more." Ziva placed her hand on his chest and kissed him. Tony ran his hand through her hair and caressed her cheek. "Besides," he told her with a grin that stopped her heart, "Senior does make _really_ _good_ sandwiches."

**Author's Note:  
****Sorry for the delay, but real life got in the way and the ideas weren't coming for a while. However, thanks so much to the Tiva Ladies for their unwavering encouragement. It means so much. :-) Reviews are awesome! I appreciate all the ones so far. TIVA forever!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Rule Number Four**

Chapter 7

One luxury the safehouse afforded was a protected courtyard. Tali was taking full advantage, running and playing her heart out. Tony sat with Ziva and watched her. Racing around the yard with the ever-present Kelev, he watched her with awe and pride. "We created a force of nature," he said. "I'm not sure I will be able to keep up."

"Yes, you will," Ziva assured him. "I will miss her more than I can ever say."

"The offer still stands," Tony said, taking her hand. "Let me help you. Working together..."

"Tony, we have already discussed this."

"I know, but I had to try." He sat quietly for a minute. "I guess I should take my own advice and concentrate on making the memory, huh?"

"That would probably be the best thing."

"Any advice? Anything I need to know about the Human Cyclone that will make my life easier? I already know that she is an early riser, she loves her books, and snores like a grown man." Ziva laughed. "Seriously, should we have that checked out or something?"

"I have not noticed," she said, still chuckling. "That should not bother you, though, since you also snore."

"_I _snore?! It may have been a couple of years, but I remember what it's like sharing a bed with you, Miss David. Trust me. That is _definitely_ a trait Tali inherited from her Ima."

"When did you give her my necklace?"

"She was having a tea party. Senior spilled some of the tea and asked me to get him a wipe out of her bag. When I reached into the bag, I found the photo. She pointed to you and said '_Ima' _then, she pointed to me and said '_Abba_.'" Tony let the memory replay in his mind. "After what Orli said, I wondered if, since I didn't know about her, did Tali know about me. One word...one _tiny_ little word." He held his fingers about an inch apart. "It changed everything. I knew that you would never purposefully keep either of us in the dark. It didn't matter what anyone else said. I took the necklace out of my pocket..."

"Your pocket? You had it with you?"

"Always," Tony said. "It was all I had left of you...until Tali. I had _her_ now. She was going to need a piece of you until...until we can be a family again."

"I think you will somehow _always_ find a way to surprise me."

"Well, I have to keep things interesting for the next 50 years or so." Tony kissed her hand and they turned their attention to watching their daughter play.

Tali and Kelev were hot on the trail of an elusive butterfly. It had landed three times, but Tali just missed it each time. The butterfly took a turn and flew close to her head. She jumped in an attempt to capture it. Not only did she come up short, but when she landed, she stepped on her own foot. The next thing the toddler knew, she was sprawled out on her stomach. Her stuffed dog skidded away from her, lost in the fall. The wind knocked out of her, her mouth was open to cry, but no sound came out. Tony and Ziva rushed to her side. Tali gasped and the first thing she said was, "Ima!" Ziva scooped her daughter in her arms. She began to shush her, murmuring comforting words into her ear. Tony retrieved Kelev and handed him to Tali's awaiting arms. She clutched him to her chest as Ziva carried her inside.

Ziva sat on the sofa and held Tali in her lap. She attempted to continue to comfort the crying child while Tony tried to examine her injury. "Let's see what we got here," he said in his most gentle voice. There was a tear in the knee of her leggings. As carefully as he could, Tony pulled the cloth up and above her knee. She wiggled around, but he put a hand on her leg. "Let Abba take a look, okay? I promise I won't hurt you." What he found was a dime-sized area where the skin had been scraped away. "Oh, it's not bad at all. Abba can fix that right up." He rose to go to the bathroom to get the necessary supplies.

"Wait, Tony..." Ziva began.

"Hold that thought," he said. "I'll be right back."

"But, Tony..."

"I know what he's doing," a voice said. "It will be okay." Senior sat on the love seat opposite Ziva and Tali.

"She is very...particular when she's injured."

"Here we go," Tony proclaimed, coming back in the room. He sat on the edge of the sofa and laid out on the cushion what he brought with him.

As soon as she saw the Band-Aid, Tali protested. "No, Abba!" She covered her knee with her little hands. She shook her head vigorously.

"That is what I was trying to tell you," Ziva said. "Tali does not like Band-Aids."

"That's why, we're not going to use one." He saw the puzzled look on Ziva's face. Tony took the wrapper off the bandage, but instead of putting it on his daughter's knee, he took the scissors from beside him and began to cut. When he was finished, the Band-Aid was in the shape of a heart. "Band-Aids aren't what makes boo-boos get better anyway. Do you know what does?" Tali was captivated by her father. She mutely shook her head. "Love. So, instead of putting a Band-Aid on your knee, I am... covering... it...," he spoke as he worked, "with...love." With the last word, Tony placed the bandage over the scrape. "There. How does that feel?"

Ziva held her breath, waiting for the moment when Tali would rip off the bandage. She had an "I told you so" ready for Tony. However, much to her surprise, she didn't. Instead, Tali stared at it for a minute before looking up at Tony.

"Love?" she questioned, pointing to her knee.

"That's right, Tali. Abba covered your boo-boo with love. Now here's the important part. For it to work, we have to leave it on. Can you do that for me?" Tali nodded. "That's my good girl." Tony kissed his daughter on the forehead. "C'mon. Abba will take you to change clothes. Then, we'll fix a big bowl of ice cream. How's that?" Tony held out his arms and Tali climbed into them. He kissed her temple and they made their way to her bedroom.

Ziva watched them leave in disbelief. "I cannot believe that."

"Junior _hated_ Band-Aids," Senior began. "Put one on and in no time flat, he would rip it right off. One day, when Junior was about four, he fell off his bicycle and cut himself. I tried to fix it, but he fought me like a wildcat. I was losing my patience with him. Then, his mother stepped in."

"She cut the Band-Aid into the shape of a heart?" Ziva deduced.

"Told him she was covering it with love. From that day on, as long as the bandages were heart-shaped, he would wear them." Senior smiled. "Care to hear a piece of advice from an old man? I know you're worried about leaving Tali." He held up his hand. "Hear me out. You have every right to be worried. There's a lot to be worried about, but Junior's parenting abilities shouldn't be one of them. He's going to doubt himself, but he shouldn't. He had a parent who loved him and made sure he knew it. He'll remember the lessons she taught him."

"He still has a parent who loves him," she said, "and he knows it."

"He does _now_."

"Now is when it is important." Ziva looked to make sure that Tony and Tali were still out of ear-shot. "I need you to make me a promise. Tony will worry about me and about Tali, but he will not think about taking care of himself. Until this is over...could you..."

"Of course." Senior moved to sit beside Ziva on the couch.

"Not that you would not any way. I did not mean that as an insult."

"I know. It will be my pleasure, Sweetheart."

"Thank you," she said with a relieved tone. "I just want to be sure _he_ is okay, too. If he found out..."

"It'll be our secret." He gave her a wink and a smile that was virtually identical to the one that stole her heart long ago. "Rule Number 4 and all." Senior took on a serious tone. "I don't know what all Junior has told you, as much as I've told him, I imagine." He covered her hand with his own. "I know what you're going through. I've been there. Communication has never been my strong suit. Junior can testify to that better than anyone, but if you need to talk about it, I'll do what I can."

"I will remember that." Ziva kissed him gently on the cheek. "You are a good man, Anthony DiNozzo, Senior."

"Careful. Don't let that get out, I have a reputation to uphold, you know." Ziva laughed in spite of herself. "What is my granddaughter's opinion of ice cream? If it is the same as her father's, we may be in trouble."

"The same as her father's."

"We're in trouble." He stood and offered his arm. "If we want any ourselves, we better get while the getting is good."

Ziva took his arm. This new journey wasn't going to be easy. She still hated the coming separation with every fiber of her being, no matter how necessary it was. At least now, she was confident taking Tali to her father was the right decision. He would take care of her. Ziva glanced at the older man beside her. Father's look out for their children, even if they have to do it in their own way.

**Author's note: Thank you to everyone who is still following and responding to the story. It means so much. Hopefully, real life will allow me to post Chapter 8 sooner. Reviews are awesome. Keep them coming. Happy Reading!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Rule Number Four**

Chapter 8

Tony stood at the sink, elbow deep in hot, soapy water, listening to the sounds coming from the other room. Ziva and Tali were involved deep in a conversation, mostly in Hebrew, that sent them both into fits of giggles at times. He loved that sound. Making Ziva laugh had been a personal goal when they were together at NCIS. It always made him feel like he'd accomplished quite a feat when he succeeded. Tony missed that, just like he'd missed a million other little things about having Ziva David in his life. Now, she was back only to have to leave again...and he wasn't ready. He wasn't ready for the conversation they would have with Tali trying to explain why her Ima was going away. He wasn't ready for a life without her, no matter how brief it may be. Most of all, he wasn't ready to say "goodbye." If he could be granted any wish, Tony would wish for the ability to make time stand still.

"What are you doing, Junior?"

"The dishes," Tony answered without stopping or looking up.

"I mean, why are you in here?"

"Because that's where the sink is?"

"Junior, you're not dumb. You know what I mean," Senior said. "Why are you in here instead of in there with Ziva and Tali?"

"I'm giving them time together." Tony stopped and stood quietly for a moment. "Tali...needs time with her mom."

"What about Tali's dad?"

"She's going to be with me for God knows how long."

"I mean, what about _h_i_s_ need for time with Tali and Tali's mom?" Senior walked to stand beside his son. "This is also the first time for the three of you to spend time together as a family. Realistically, it may be the _only_ time. I've been there, Junior. You have to have something before you leave...something you can hold onto." He held out a dish towel. "I'll do the dishes. You spend time with your ladies."

Tony dried his hands and handed his father the towel with a smile. "Did I hear laughing in here?" he asked, plopping down on the sofa beside Ziva.

"You did," Ziva said. "We have such a _silly_ girl."

"She wasn't the only one I heard laughing. That must mean that Ima was being pretty silly, too, huh?"

"_Ken, _Abba," Tali said. "Ima silly." Ziva's look of mock-offense brought another round of giggles from the little girl. "Ima silly," she repeated.

"If you think _Ima_ is silly, _Abba_ is even sillier." Tony hid himself from Ziva's view and made a face at Tali, crossing his eyes and sticking out his tongue. Tali dissolved into laughter. When Ziva turned to see what he was doing, Tony slipped back into his normal look. "What?" she asked.

"Abba!" Tali managed to squeak out. She pointed at her father.

"Me?" Tony said innocently.

"_Ken_!"

Behind Ziva's back again, he puffed out his cheeks and pulled out his ears to look like a monkey. Again, Tali laughed. Ziva tried to be quicker, but still missed Tony. The third time, when he stuck his thumbs in his ears and wiggled his fingers, Ziva _did_ catch him. "See! Abba is _very_ silly."

"I think we are one silly family and we need a picture of _all of us_ making silly faces." Tony fished around in his pocket until he produced his cell phone. He turned on the self-facing camera and held the phone at arm's length. "When I count to three, I want to see your silliest face. Ready..._echad_..._shtaim_..._shalosh_." There was a click and the DiNozzo clan was captured in a collage of tongues, crossed eyes, and contorted mouths.

"Let Tali see." Tony turned the screen so his daughter could see. "Silly Ima. Silly Abba. Silly Tali," she said, pointing to them individually.

"Indeed, we _are_," Ziva agreed. "Now, we need a picture of us showing our best smiles."

Tony saw a look in her eye that their daughter wouldn't notice. Ziva wanted the pictures for the same reason he did. They needed something to carry them through until... He didn't finish the thought. Mentally, he shook away the unpleasantness to concentrate on what _was_ there. "Okay. Let's see. If I move here, then Ima can lean over this way..."

"Or, you can let me take it." His father came walking into the room, dish towel slung across his shoulder.

"Thanks, Dad," Tony said, handing over his phone. For once, he didn't question anything. They were past that, questioning motives and the suspicion. "You just press this here and make sure..."

"I've taken pictures before, Junior," Senior assured him. "You just get arranged how you want and I'll snap it." Tony moved to the end of the sofa. Ziva followed suit beside him. Tali sat on a lap made up of Tony's right leg and Ziva's left leg. Once they appeared to be settled, he said, "Now, look at Grandpa and smile." The trio flashed them their best and Senior took the picture. "This time, I want to see a real smile."

"Okay, Annie Leibovitz," Tony said.

"Those were 'picture smiles.' I want to see the _real_ deal." Tony started to protest, but his father cut him off with, "I know what it looks like, Junior. I'm the one who gave you that smile." Taking Senior at his word, Tony scooted back against the cushion, relaxing into it. Ziva settled in against his side, resting her hand on his chest. Tony wrapped his arm around her. Tali squirmed between her parents, making her own place to sit. "Since everybody _is_ happy, you'll _look_ happy."

"Count, G'anpa," Tali instructed.

"Of course. One...two...three." Again, he snapped the photo. Senior stared at the screen for a minute before returning the phone to his son. "Beautiful," he said, "simply beautiful."

"Why don't you join us for one?" Ziva offered.

"No," Senior politely refused. "This time is for the three of you right now." He gave her a wink. "I promise, I'll sit in on the_ next_ one."

_The next one_. Tony thought about that for a minute. He didn't even know when that would be. Since he saw Ziva standing in Tali's bedroom, he'd been avoiding thinking about when "the next one" would be. Was he in denial? Possibly. _Probably. _Still, with everything that had been heaped on him in the last month, seemingly all at once, allowing himself a bit of denial while he worked through it all was acceptable.

_The next one_. There were more implications than just a long wait, however. Whenever "the next one" was only meant _one_ thing. The next one would be when Ziva returned...and wouldn't be leaving. The next one could be printed and hung on a wall...in their _permanent_ home. Tony looked at his father. Senior was sending them a message in his own unique way. Whatever was happening now wouldn't last forever. Whenever the end came...the end of the running and hiding, the end of safe houses and secreted meeting places...what was waiting on the other side was each other and _that_ was worth the wait.

**Author's Note: This chapter took a turn on me and ended up in an entirely different direction. I'm pretty happy, though, where it went. Our little family doesn't have much more time together, so I'm preparing myself for writing that. That being said, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks so much to my fellow Tiva Ladies (you know who you are ;) ) for your endless encouragement. It means a lot. Thanks, also, to my BFF for her support. Reviews would be awesome. I'm amazed at the response so far. Thanks for hanging with me. TIVA FOREVER!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Tony was awakened by a pain in his back. Thinking it was a cramp, he tried to roll over to see if that helped ease it. That's when he discovered it wasn't caused by a cramp, but by two toddler-sized feet pressing against his kidneys. When she fell asleep watching the movie, Ziva asked that Tali sleep with her and Tony instead of in the other bedroom. Tony was happy to comply. However, he was presently rethinking his decision. Gently, he maneuvered his daughter from laying horizontally between him and Ziva to her original vertical position. Tony rolled over and looked at Tali. He smiled. She was definitely a beautiful child. Sleeping, she was positively angelic. He brushed a curl off her cheek before he closed his eyes. He was drifting off to sleep again when he heard Ziva sigh and felt the bed dip as she moved. Seconds later, a sound akin to a chainsaw cutting through a steel drum assaulted his ears. Tony's eyes flew open. He _knew_ that sound. "Ziva," he called in a loud whisper. As he expected, there was no response other than a continual snore. He placed his hand over Tali's ears. "Ziva!" he repeated, louder this time. "Ziva, turn over." Hesitantly, he removed his hand from Tali's ears. He needed not to worry. Their daughter slept on, unfazed, emitting soft snores of her own. Tony rolled his eyes. "_Et __tu__, Brute_?" he murmured. He reached across the sleeping child and touched Ziva's shoulder. "Wake up, Ziv...ahhhh." He yelped as she grabbed his wrist in a vice-like grip and twisted it.

Suddenly, Ziva was very awake. When she saw who she'd captured, she gasped and let go. "Oh, god! Tony! I..."

"Shh! It's okay," Tony said. "I shouldn't have startled you."

"What is wrong?"

"You were snoring."

"Oh." Ziva saw Tony flex his hand. "I hurt you."

"No," Tony assured her. "I promise. I'm fine." Tali chose this moment to flop onto her back and snort loudly. "I hate we're disturbing her."

"I will miss her," Ziva whispered sadly.

"Even the snoring?" Tony asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Even the snoring." Ziva gave him a small smile. "When she wakes up, we have to tell her."

"I know. Would it be easier if I waited until you were gone and tried to explain everything?"

"Yes, but what is easy is not what is fair," she replied. "Tali deserves to hear it from me."

"From _us_," he reminded gently. "As long as it's possible, it's _always_ us." Tony watched her watch their daughter. "The way I see it, there's only one solution." Ziva acknowledged his statement with a questioning look. "We don't wake her yet."

Ziva bit her lip and smiled a teary smile. Gently, she gathered Tali in her arms and lay her on her chest, the way they'd slept when her daughter was a baby. Tony maneuvered himself so he could wrap his arms around both of them. Ziva relaxed against him. Sandwiched between the two loves of her life, she drifted to sleep. Tony stayed awake for a bit longer. He thought of Ziva's words. _What is easy is not what is fair_. If there was a phrase that summed up their life right now, this was it.

TIVA

The second time Tony awoke, it was under much better circumstances. For once, he woke before Ziva. He watched her and Tali as they slept. He could definitely get used to this...waking up with his girls. There was a peace in the room that was unexpected, but comforting. Sadly, this wasn't the "new normal." This was the calm before the storm. He saw eyelids flutter and then open. "_Boker tov_, Sweet Cheeks" he said quietly. "Sleep well?"

"Very well." Ziva looked at the child sprawled out across her chest. "Although, not as well as Tali, it would seem."

Tony grinned. "She sleeps like me."

"She does, except, since she has my hair, she does not wake up each morning looking like a porcuswine."

Tony didn't even attempt to correct her. He missed the "Ziva-isms." "Thank heaven for small miracles."

"She is _our_ miracle," Ziva said tenderly.

"A perfect combination of the perfect combination." Tony added proudly. He kissed Ziva's temple. "What do you want to do today?"

"Stay like this as long as I can," she confessed. "I do not look forward to what must happen when we get out of bed."

"I could be persuaded," he replied in a husky voice. "It's gonna be lonely when you leave."

"Ima leave?" a small voice spoke up. Tony muttered a curse word under his breath. Tali looked to her mother. "Ima leave?" she repeated.

Ziva sat up and took Tali with her, sitting against Tony. "I need you to listen to Ima and Abba. Can you do that for me, _yaldati_?" The little girl shook her head. "Ima is going to go away for a while."

"Tali go?" she asked.

"Not this time, Sweetheart," Tony explained. "Ima has to go away by herself."

"_No_! Tali go!" the child protested.

"Tali..." her mother began.

"Tali go with Ima...an' Abba go an' G'anpa go."

"No, Tali. We can't go," Tony reiterated. "Not this time."

The wheels were turning inside the child's head. "Ima stay," she finally said.

"I cannot stay, little one," Ziva confessed.

"Yes," Tali countered, as forcefully as her parents had ever heard her be. "_Ima. Stay_."

Ziva took hold of her daughter's hands. "I need you to listen to me."

Frustration swept across the little face. "No!" Tali struggled until she pulled free from her mother's grasp. "No!" Before either one could stop her, Tali scooted off the bed and ran out of the room.

"Tali!" Tony called after her. "Tali, come back here!"

The child did not heed the warnings. She continued down the hall until she ran headlong into a pair of pajama-clad legs. The exasperation of the conversation with her parents combined with her irritation from being awakened before she was ready led Tali to burst into tears. She sat on the floor where she'd fallen on her behind and cried.

"What's wrong, Sweetheart?" her grandfather asked. He leaned down and Tali extended her arms for him to pick her up. Senior scooped up his granddaughter. She laid her head on his shoulder and continued to sob. "There, there," he soothed. "Tell Grandpa what's wrong."

"Ima..."

Senior knew what must have happened. He knew that Tony and Ziva had told her about Ziva's leaving. He rubbed her back gently and held her a little tighter. "It's alright, Darling. You can tell me."

"Ima...Ima..." Tali gulped for air between words. "Ima go!"

"I am _so_ sorry, Tali." He kissed her temple. Senior carried Tali into his bedroom and sat with her on the bed. "Look at me, okay?" When the little girl raised her head, he continued. "I know you love your Ima and don't want her to leave."

"Tali?" Tony and Ziva appeared in the doorway. "There you are," Tony said. He took a step inside the room and his daughter turned so her back was to her parents. "Tali..." he repeated, aggravation creeping into his voice.

"Give us a minute, will you, Junior?" Senior held up his hand. "This announcement has been a little overwhelming for everyone. I think we all need to take a step back and regroup." He saw the uncertainty on the adults' faces. "Why don't the two of you go get a breath of fresh air? We'll join you in a bit."

TIVA

They retreated to the walled garden area, neither saying anything until they were outside. "Well, _that_ went well," Tony quipped sarcastically. When he looked at Ziva, he saw the tears in her eyes. She was hugging herself, trying her best to hold it together. "Hey," he said, his voice taking on a tenderness only Ziva elicited. "C'mere." He wrapped her in his embrace. "Dad was right. It's all just...overwhelming. We'll be okay."

"I should not have come," she said.

"Yes, you should," he countered. "You needed this. _We_ needed this." Tony pulled back and looked at her. "Part of spending time together is having to say goodbye."

"I know, but I..." She stopped and took a breath. "I thought that I could just keep a... a swift upper lip and not let it affect me."

"Stiff," Tony corrected gently. "It's a stiff upper lip."

"_However_ you say it. It is a _stupid_ expression," Ziva spat out in frustration. "I cannot afford to be emotional right now. The threat is too great."

"Out there, yes, but not here."

"I made her cry," she said quietly. "I made Tali angry and I made her cry."

Tony rubbed her arms. "We played this game for years, keeping emotions bottled up inside and where did that get us? Our daughter is smarter than both of us. She just let it all out instead of trying to hold it in." He gave a lopsided grin. "She can _never_ know this, but it was kinda adorable when she got so mad she wouldn't even _look_ at us."

"You say that now..." Ziva reminded.

"Fifty percent DiNozzo, fifty percent David, one-hundred percent stubborn," he said with a shake of his head. Ziva laughed. "I like the sound of that." He pulled her to him. "We can do this. It won't be easy, but we can." They heard the sound of the patio door sliding open and turned to see Senior and Tali walk through it.

"There they are," Senior said. "I told you we would find them." He walked to join Tony and Ziva, handing off Tali to her mother. "We had a nice talk, didn't we Tali?" The little girl nodded her head.

"Ima go," she said dejectedly. "Tali not go." There were no more tears, but the sadness remained. She had accepted the truth, albeit begrudgingly. "Tali stay with Abba."

"I am sorry, _yaldati__. _Ima does not want to leave you and Abba, but I have to." Ziva hugged her daughter close. "I love you and Abba _so_ much." Tali laid her head on her mother's shoulder. "You are a very lucky little girl, because your Abba loves you very much, too."

"We have _all day_ to spend with Ima doing whatever you want," Tony told her, lovingly stroking her hair.

"How does that sound?" Ziva asked.

"Tali hung'y," she announced unceremoniously.

"Well, you are in luck," her father told her. "Want to know a secret? What is your very favorite thing to eat for breakfast?"

"Pan-tates."

"It just so happens that the world champion pancake maker is standing right...over...there," Tony said, pointing to Senior. "I bet if you ask him, he'll make you some."

Tali looked at her grandfather. "Pan-tates, G'anpa?"

"For you? Always."

TIVA

They planned their day at the breakfast table. All activities were Tali's choice. She chose the books they read, the games they played, and what they had for lunch. Her parents even acquiesced to no nap so they could spend time playing outside. After dinner, Senior retired to his room under the guise of taking care of some "personal business," but in reality, he wanted to give them some time alone. The little family piled onto the sofa for movie time.

A few hours later, Tali was sleeping in her mother's lap and Tony was asleep beside them. The adventures of Tali's favorite cartoon dog still played on the television. Ziva looked at the clock on the wall, dreading what was next. She'd been dreading it since the moment she sneaked into the safe house the previous day. She _did not_ want to leave. She wanted days like today had been and nights like last night. But...those were impossible, at least for now. The little girl in her lap, the man sleeping beside her, even the man in the other room...they needed for her to put an end to this. She couldn't do that while they were with her. Whoever was after her couldn't find out where Tony was nor find out of Tali's existence. The best way for Ziva to protect them was to be as far away from them as possible.

Carefully, Ziva lifted her slumbering daughter to her shoulder. She wrapped her arms around the small body, wanting to remember everything about this moment. There was no way of knowing when the next time she would get to hold Tali or if she ever would again. Ziva blinked hard to stave off the tears. _It is for the best_, she reminded herself. "Be strong, my brave girl," she whispered. "Carry my memory in your heart as I will yours in mine. Never forget Ima loves you more than life itself." She pressed her lips against the child's forehead.

Ziva carried Tali the few feet and gently laid her on Tony's chest. She straightened and looked at them. Simply put, they were her heart. "_At lo __levad_," she spoke into his ear. "I know you will take care of Tali. If I do not make it back, know that I died loving you." She placed a feather-light kiss on his lips. "I love you, my little Hairy Butt," she said with a watery smile. Ziva made her way to the door silently. She turned to take one last look. There was already an ache in her heart that she didn't think could hurt any worse. Instead, she would use it as motivation, a reminder of why she was leaving. She would not...c_ould not_ lose another Tali in her life. She slipped out the patio door. When Ziva was halfway across the small backyard, she saw a light come on inside. Looking up, she saw Senior at the kitchen window. They locked eyes for a moment. The elder DiNozzo raised his hand to his lips and blew her a kiss. Ziva smiled then stole away in the darkness. Just like that...she was gone.

TIVA

Tony awoke for the third time in twenty-four hours. There was a weight on his chest that he didn't remember being there when he went to sleep. Hair tickled his nose. "Ziva?" he asked sleepily, but there was no answer. He opened his eyes and saw the top of Tali's head. He reached out but his hand met only air. She was gone. A cold hand gripped his heart. _She's gone_, he repeated to himself. Tony rubbed his eyes and checked his watch. He wondered how long ago… It didn't matter. His movement caused Tali to stir.

"Ima?" she said. Her reaction had been the same as her father's. When Ziva didn't answer, she called again.

"Ima's not here, Baby," Tony said. "Remember? We said that Ima had to go away."

"Want Ima," Tali whimpered pitifully. She put her arms around her father's neck. He could feel her tears wetting his shirt.

"So do I, Baby Girl," Tony said. "So do I." He put his arm around her. Father and daughter held each other and cried.

By the time Senior exited his bedroom, Tali was asleep on the sofa. Tony sat beside her, holding a coffee mug and staring into space. "Morning, Junior," he greeted.

"Morning." Tony's voice was flat. Senior took a seat in a nearby chair. "She's gone, Dad," he finally said. "Sometime in the night after Tali and I fell asleep."

"That's probably for the best," Senior said. Tony eyed him suspiciously. "She would have never been able to say 'goodbye' to either of you in person. Trust me. It's easier that way." He watched his granddaughter. "Has she been asleep the entire time?"

"No," Tony told him. "She woke up a little bit after I did."

"How did she take it?"

"About like I did," he confessed. "We both had a good cry and she dozed off about an hour ago. I've been sitting here trying to decide what to do next." He leaned up and sat his mug on the table in front of him. "We can't stay here. It's been great, but it's served its purpose. We can't go to D.C. Israel is out. I don't want Tali to be raised on the run. Her life has been shaken up enough already. I want her to have some stability." He blew out a breath and ran his hand through his hair. "Where do we go?"

"You go home," Senior said matter-of-factly.

"I told you, Dad. We _can't_. D.C. would be the first place someone would look."

"Not _your_ home," his father clarified, "_our_ home."

"New York?"

"Why not? You need somewhere safe. That place is a fortress. I knew that you and your mother were going to be there while I was…away. I wanted to make sure you were protected. It has everything you need, even to communicate with Ziva. There are secure phone lines, a state-of-the-art security system I update regularly, safe rooms, bulletproof glass…the works."

"I never knew."

"You weren't supposed to. You were a kid. You didn't _need_ to worry about things like that."

Tony rubbed his chin in thought. "It will be quite a lifestyle change," he said, "There'll be a kid running around, getting into _everything_."

The older man spoke frankly. "When I'm there, it's just me rambling around that big, empty house. Sometimes, it's easier to stay away than stay there and be lonely." He smiled at his son. "Maybe it's time for _both_ of us to go home."

**Author's note: Thank you so much for your response to the story so far. As it has for most of us, real life has been crazy for the past couple of week and delayed Chapter 9. Thanks so much for sticking with me until I got it finished. It was emotional chapter for sure. Reviews are wanted and welcomed. TIVA Forever!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

_Three years later_

"Daddy!" Tali ran down the hallway of her school, dragging her bookbag behind her. She launched herself at her father as soon as she was close enough.

Tony caught his daughter and swung her into the air. "Hiya, Rugrat." He greeted her with a kiss to her cheek.

"Why are you here, Daddy?" A shadow passed across the child's face. "Last week, my friend Ryder's daddy came to see _him_ at school. Ryder had to leave 'cause his grandpa was in the hospital." Her brows drew together in concern. "Is Pop-Pop okay? Is he sick? Did he _die_?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down now. Pop-Pop is _not_ sick or in the hospital _or_ dead," Tony explained. "He is at home, perfectly fine."

"Good." Her father's answer seemed to satisfy her. "Why are you here?"

"To the point, just like her Ima," Tony muttered. "_I_ am here to come and spring my Baby Girl from school to take her for a _fun-filled_ afternoon in the City."

"_New_ _York_ City?!"

"That's the one."

"What are we going to do?"

"_That_ is a surprise."

"Dad-dy!" Tali whined. "I don't _like_ surprises."

"We could always just not go…"

"No! I wanna go!"

"Alrighty, then." Instead of standing his daughter on the floor, Tony shifted her to his hip. He carried her, backpack and all, to the car. He fastened her into her booster seat and they were ready to roll."

"Can I have a _little_ hint about what we're going to do?" Tali begged.

Tony looked into his rearview mirror. There were times when Tali looked so much like her mother that it was _impossible_ to tell her "no." He breathed a resigned sigh. "Okay. _One_ hint. Remember what today is."

"That's not a hint, Daddy."

"Is so and that's _all_ you're getting."

Tali turned the question over in her mind. "Thursday?"

"C'mon, Kiddo. What happens _every_ Thursday?"

The little girl's eyes lit up when the answer came. "Ice Cream Day!" She thought more about it. "We are going all the way to New York City for ice cream? Why?"

_Two Days Earlier_

"Keep the change." Tony shoved the twenty-dollar bill toward the delivery guy and grabbed the pizza box. He kicked the door closed and hustled toward the bedroom, one hand carrying the food, the other clutching the bedspread around his waist. Ziva waited for him, sitting on the bed wrapped in the sheet.

"We can afford a penthouse suite at the Ritz-Carlton, but we are eating pizza," she said. "What will people think?"

"That we're hungry," Tony said around the half a slice of pizza that he'd crammed into his mouth. "Oh. My. God. It has been _so_ long since I've had genuine New York-style pizza."

"You _live_ in New York. Is it not all New York pizza?"

"Ziva, dear Ziva, when this is all over, the first thing we are doing is take a week for me to show you all the finest New York-style pizza places in the city." He saw the sheet slip as Ziva reached for her own slice. "Okay, maybe not the _first_ thing." His eyes widened. "Drop the pizza, David."

Ziva stopped, food half-way to her mouth. "Why?"

"You're not eating it right."

She stared at the pizza. "It is pizza, Tony. How can you eat it _wrong_?"

"Did I question when you showed me how to eat falafel?"

"Constantly."

"You're right. Okay. That was then, this is now. Just trust me when I say you _cannot_ eat your pizza like that."

"Fine," Ziva relented. She handed him the pizza. "Show me."

Tony scooted closer. He showed her how to fold the slice. "See how the end is hanging down? That's how you know you've folded it correctly. Take a minute to admire its magnificence. The perfectly baked crust. The sauce…not too sweet, not too spicy. Just the right amount of cheese."

"Would the two of you like to be alone?" Ziva quipped.

"Laugh now. Wait 'til you taste it." Tony took her hand and guided it to her mouth. "Now…bite it."

"Oh, wow!"

"See!" Tony grinned triumphantly. "What did I tell ya?"

"It is incredible," Ziva said with her mouth full. "Did Tali enjoy it this much?"

"Oh, no. Our daughter has a much more discriminating palate. She prefers her Pop-Pop's _homemade_ pizza."

"Really?"

"Really. The last time I ordered out, she asked if they used 'authentic Italian ingredients.'" Ziva laughed. Tony gestured with his free hand. "What kid talks like that?"

"Perhaps a child who has spent much time with a man of refined taste like your father." She let out a sigh as silently as possible, not wanting to spoil their moment by revealing how much she missed her daughter. Her action didn't go unnoticed.

"What?"

"It is…" She stopped. "Nothing. It is nothing."

"Uh-uh. I'm not buying it." Tony touched her arm until she looked at him. "Talk to me."

"She is changing every day. I have not seen even a photograph of her in so long."

"Hold that thought." Tony hopped off the bed. He began sorting through the clothes scattered about the bedroom floor.

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to find my pants." He tossed aside outerwear and underwear with wild abandon. "Ah-ha! Found them." He dug around in the pockets and produced his cellphone. "I meant to show you earlier," he explained, climbing back beside her, "but we were otherwise occupied." Tony touched the screen and it lit up, revealing a smiling Tali. He heard Ziva gasp and looked up to see tears in her eyes. "Oh, it gets better," he said. A few more taps and he opened an album named _Age 4_. "Feast your eyes, Ima." He handed her the phone. Tony watched Ziva's face as she swiped from picture to picture. Each one brought a different expression. He peeked over her shoulder. "That's one of my favorites," he said, pointing to the photo on the screen of Tali with her arms thrown around her father's neck. "Dad took it. That was after her winter dance recital. She was one of the Snow Flakes in _The Nutcracker_."

"Not the Sugar Plum Fairy?"

"Oh, that's the goal for next year." Tony smiled gently. "When it _does_ happen, she will be very happy that her Ima will be there to see it."

For the first time, Ziva didn't immediately correct him. She may not share his same optimism, but she held her tongue. A tear slipped out and dripped off the end of her nose. "She was a _beautiful_ Snow Flake."

"Takes after her Ima." Tony wiped away the traces of the tear with his thumb. "There's something else." Once more, he left the bed, but only long enough to retrieve his wallet.

"If you are looking for a condom, I am afraid you are too late," Ziva deadpanned as Tony searched through his wallet.

"Always with your mind in the gutter," Tony came back. "I would make you stop if it wasn't such a turn on." He took the phone from her.

"I have not finished looking!"

"I'll give it back, I promise." He opened the back cover and laid the pieces in his lap. From his wallet, he pulled an SD card and slid it into place before replacing the cover. Ziva took the phone from him as soon as he snapped it back into place. "Hey! Give it back."

"Make me," she challenged.

"Oh-ho-ho, _don't_ tempt me." Tony reached for his phone, but Ziva held it just out of his reach. He smiled a self-satisfied smile. "Fine. It is password protected, so you can't…" He heard the tone signaling the phone has been successfully unlocked. "How did you know…"

"I know _it_ because I know _you_. _Ninja-1-1-1-2_," she replied with a laugh. "You are _so_ predictable, Tony." He stuck out his hand impatiently. Ziva gently laid it in his palm and blew him a kiss.

"I will share despite the fact you are being mean to me." Tony touched the screen and up popped an image of Tali wearing a red dress and holding a giant paper heart. "When you're ready, tap _Play_," he said, handing over his phone. Ziva did as he said and the video began to play.

Boker tov_, Ima. Daddy said that since I can't talk to you in person, I can talk to you in a video. Pop-Pop made cookies for me to take to preschool. Daddy bought me a valentine card with a monkey on it. He helped me write cards for my whole class, but I made your heart _all by myself._ Daddy said I can give it to you when you come home. Happy Valentine's Day, Ima. I love you._

The room fell silent. Ziva stared at the phone in her hand. She made no attempt to stop the tears that were coming. Tony drew her against him and kissed her temple. She played the short video again. "I would love to see her, before…" Tears clogged her throat and would not allow her to finish the sentence.

"Okay," Tony agreed. He knew when they left the hotel tomorrow, he would head back to the house he shared with Senior and Tali, but Ziva would travel in the opposite direction…headed to DC. Sahar was close and she had to warn Gibbs. The end was near, but Tony wouldn't let himself to think what "the end" _could_ mean. "What if I can make it so you can?"

"Tony, do not joke with me…not about this."

"I'm serious." She pulled back enough to see his face and saw he _wasn't_ joking. "She won't be able to see you. That's still too dangerous, but I can fix it so _you_ can see Tali."

**Author's Note: This chapter took on a life of its own. What I originally intended for Chapter 10 is going to be two chapters. Thanks so much for your response. I am always amazed that people want to read what I write. A special thanks to Jen and my BFF for their help. Reviews are AWESOME. Happy Reading. TIVA FOREVER!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

"I don't see anywhere to eat ice cream," Tali complained.

"This is New York City," Tony countered. "You can get ice cream _everywhere_."

"Why can't we just stop anywhere to get it? We have been walking for_ever_."

"Because, we are going to a special place and we're going to do a couple of special things before we have ice cream."

"Are we going to meet Ima?"

Tony stopped suddenly, causing the little girl whose hand he was holding to stumble. "Wh…what?"

"Is meet Ima one of the special things we are going to do?"

If he wasn't so shocked, Tony would have been immensely proud of his daughter. Then again, both of her parents were federal agents. It's not reaching to say she would have inherited some of their observation and deduction skills. He shuddered to think what she may have inherited from her grandfathers. He maneuvered them out of the middle of the busy sidewalk and crouched in front of her. "No, it's not." A knife to the heart would have hurt less than having to see Tali's face fall. She fought back tears bravely.

"I miss her, Daddy."

"I know you do, Baby." He gathered his daughter in his arms. "I do, too, and I promise, it won't be much longer before Ima comes home to us forever."

"Can we pretend she's here?"

"I think that is a _fantastic_ idea."

"You do?"

"Yup. Wanna know why?" Tali nodded. "Because what I have planned for us today is what I used to do with _my_ mom."

"I can pretend my Ima is here and you can pretend your _ima_ is with us, too," Tali told him, a light of inspiration in her eyes.

Now it was Tony's turn to blink back tears. "I would like that very much. Has anybody told you lately that you're a pretty amazing kid?"

"Uh huh." Tali smiled the smile passed to a third generation of DiNozzos.

Neither one of them saw the tears in the eyes of the jogger a few feet ahead of them. They were hidden behind sunglasses, just as her hair was tucked inside a baseball cap and covered with the hood of her running jacket. The earbuds she wore connected to a listening device concealed in her armband. She'd ran past them earlier and stop to "tie her shoe" when they'd stopped. It had taken all of her willpower for Ziva not to make eye contact with Tony, although she was sorely tempted. That would have risked Tali looking to see who he was watching and they couldn't afford for that to happen. For now, she would have to be satisfied to share their day from afar.

TIVA

"Tell me again about where we're going, Daddy."

"When I was a little boy, my mom and I would come down here and watch movies," Tony relayed as they walked toward the theater, "lots and lots of movies. We would have days like you and I are having today." He smiled at the memory. "We would eat lunch and then go watch a movie. Sometimes, it would be a double feature where they show two movies back to back. When it was over, we would _always_ stop for ice cream."

"Did Pop-Pop ever come with you?"

"No." Tali adored his father and the feeling was mutual. He wouldn't say anything to put Senior in a bad light in his daughter's eyes. The good thing was, he could do this and still be honest. "This was our special time…just me and her."

"Like Ice Cream Day is _our_ special time?"

"Exactly." The marquee of the small theater was in view. "See that sign up there? Can you read what it says?"

"'Course I can read it," Tali replied, somewhat offended. "I have been reading since I was _four_, Daddy."

"Pardon me, Miss DiNozzo," he said, unable to hide his amusement.

"It says _The Little Prince_. Is this a kissing movie or a sword-fighting movie?"

"What makes you think it is either one?"

"Prince Valiant was a knight with a sword and Prince Charming kissed Snow White."

"This is neither a kissing movie nor a sword-fighting movie. He's a different kind of prince," Tony informed her.

"What kind?"

"You'll see." Tony stopped a little way away from the front entrance. "Listen, Tali, you said that you wanted to pretend that Ima was with us, right?"

"Uh huh."

"Then, we will buy a ticket for her, just like she's with us."

"'Cause she would need a ticket to watch the movie."

"Right." They walked the last few feet. "Two adults and one child, please," Tony told the cashier. Tali looked at her father and they shared a conspiratorial grin. The lady slid the tickets toward them. He pulled an envelope from his pocket and put one of the adult tickets inside.

"Daddy! That man just made popcorn!" Tali interrupted. "Can we get some?"

"Just a sec." He handed the envelope to the lady behind the glass. "I'd like to leave this at the will call window, please."

"Daddy!" Tali persisted, tugging at her father's hand.

"Okay. Let's go get some popcorn." Tony glanced up, glad that the daughter pulling him across the lobby toward the snack bar didn't see the reflection in the glass of the ticket booth. But…he did.

TIVA

"May I help you?"

"A ticket was left for Sophie Ranier."

"Yes, ma'am," the young man at the will call window told her. "Here it is." He skimmed the envelope across the counter. "Enjoy the movie."

"I will, thank you."

The movie had already started when Ziva slipped inside the theater. She took a moment to let her eyes adjust to the darkened room. That's when she spied it…a silhouette she would recognize anywhere. A smile involuntarily played on her lips. He was sitting about halfway down the center aisle in an end seat. She could barely make out the top of a small, curly head of hair in the seat beside him. Very carefully, she took a seat two rows back, directly behind Tony. Ziva envied her daughter. She'd never confessed to anyone before, but movie nights with Tony were one of her favorite things. In the relative anonymity of the theater, she let her mind wander. She missed the way he would keep glancing over to gauge her reaction if he was showing her one of his favorite movies for the first time. She missed falling asleep on his chest with the sound of a _Rocky_ movie in the background, the blend of fabric softener and body wash that made that unique "Tony smell" filling her nose. Right now, she even missed the fact that he normally hogged all the popcorn. Tali seemed absolutely transfixed by the actions on the screen in front of her. Ziva saw Tony lean over a couple of times when their daughter had a question, but for the most part, her eyes were glued to the movie. She now understood why Tony said he enjoyed watching _her_ watch the movie as much as he did the movie itself. Ziva heard every giggle and gasp Tali produced. It was so bittersweet, being so close to share this moment, but not being able to let her daughter know she was there. Ziva knew how this movie would end. She also knew she would not be able to bear seeing Tali cry. As quietly as she took her seat, Ziva left, not willing to also risk being seen. She wasn't worried about Tali's reaction. Tony was there. He would know _exactly_ what to say to her to dry her tears. She only wished… No. That wouldn't help her, not now. If she wanted to get to "accompany" them to get ice cream, Ziva needed to be in position. As she left, the same young man was at the will call window.

"Did you enjoy your movie?" he asked.

Ziva paused. She thought about the past hour or so…the movie, Tony, Tali. She thought about the opportunity to grab a moment with her family in the middle of all the uneasiness and unsettled turmoil of the past three years. "I did," she told him, that same smile creeping onto her face, "very much so."

TIVA

"Have you had a good day with your ol' Dad?" Tony asked as they walked hand-in-hand licking their respective ice cream cones.

"Uh huh. Did you have a good day?"

"I sure did. _Any_ day I get to spend with you is a good day."

"I think Ima would have liked our day," Tali said confidently.

"Me, too."

"Would your _ima_ have liked it?"

"Oh, yeah." Tony took a bite of his ice cream. "My Ima is your Savta, ya know."

"Yep," Tali answered, nodding. "Pop-Pop calls her 'Grandma.' He said that she was quite the remarkable lady."

"That sounds like him." Thoughts of his mother brought a soft smile. "She really was, though. She would have loved you _so_ much." Tony led them to a nearby bench. He sat and Tali wriggled up beside him.

"Would she have loved Ima?" she asked after a minute of contemplation.

"Absolutely."

"Good, 'cause I love Ima…a lot."

"Me, too, Baby," Tony agreed.

They sat and ate their desserts. Father and daughter talked, laughed, and watched the bustling city, blissfully unaware of the disposable camera trained on them. Ziva waited until the perfect moment. The rest of the roll would be filled with nonsense, typical tourist shots of buildings and landmarks. She had just one shot at the picture she _truly_ wanted. Then, it happened. Tali looked up at her father and Tony looked down at her. They were smiling at each other, the late afternoon sunshine around them. It was ethereal. It was such a beautiful moment that it took her breath. She pressed the shutter button. Shortly, Tony pushed the last of the cone into his mouth and licked his fingers. He tossed what remained of Tali's ice cream into a trash can and wiped her face with a paper napkin. Taking her father's hand, she hopped off the bench and they walked the opposite direction from where Ziva was hidden. She stood there watching them until they blended in with the crowd and were out of sight. "_Toda_, Tony," she whispered with tears in her eyes. "_Toda raba_."

**Author's Note: This chapter took on a life of its own, but I am happy with how it turned out. I hope you like it. We're getting close to the end of the story. Thanks for staying for the ride. Reviews are awesome. Thanks so much to my friends for their support, especially my BFF. Happy Reading. TIVA FOREVER.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

_Baltimore, Maryland_

_December, 2019_

Tony kept replaying the phone conversation he just had in his head as he rifled through the dresser, stuffing the clothes he pulled from it in his bag.

"_Take Tali and go to New York. Take her home where it is safe. Take her now."_

"_Ziva?"_

"_Do not argue, Tony. There is not time. Just do this…please."_

"_Ziva wait."_

"_I love you."_

The call was disconnected before he had the time to get anything else out of her. He called her name into dead air. He stared at the phone in his hand. Something was wrong. Something was _bad_ wrong. Ziva was in trouble and he had to help her.

"Junior?"

"In here, Dad. Can you come alone?"

"Sweetheart, why don't you go put our stuff in your room," Senior said to Tali. "I need to go talk to Daddy." He entered Tony's room without knocking. "What's going on?"

Tony didn't stop his packing. "I need you to take Tali back to New York."

"Back to New York? If we go to New York, where are _you_ going?"

"D.C."

"Why are you going to D.C.?"

"I don't have time to explain…"

Senior positioned himself between his son and the bed. "If you want me to take Tali and fly back to New York, you will _take time_ to explain." The look he wore told that he brooked no argument. Tony growled in frustration, but still wouldn't look at him. "That didn't work when you were five and it won't work now. What is in D.C.?"

"Ziva!" Tony spat out. He turned angrily and faced his father. "She called while you and Tali were at the Aquarium."

"Ziva _called_? What did she say?"

"She said I needed to get Tali to New York where she was safe."

"Is that all?"

"Yeah, except she said 'I love you'…right before she hung up on me."

"So, you're going to drop everything and go to Washington?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Why? _Why?!_ Because…it's _Ziva_."

"I know that, Son, but…"

"Ziva, Dad. _My_ Ziva," Tony reiterated, jabbing his finger at his own chest.

"Anthony, keep your voice down."

By now, Tony was livid. "Some…some _maniac_ is out there dead-set on killing my wife and you tell me to keep my _voice_ down?"

Senior blinked. He cocked his head and stared at Tony. "What did you say?"

Tony froze. The full realization of what he just confessed hit him. His father took the clothes from his hand. Tony sat on the bed and Senior took a seat beside him. He undid the first few buttons of his shirt and reached inside. He withdrew a thin gold chain threaded through two wedding bands. "My wife."

"You and Ziva got married and didn't tell me?"

"We didn't tell _anyone_."

"Not even Gibbs?"

"_Especially_ not Gibbs." Tony stiffened. "If I have my way about it, he'll _never_ know. He doesn't deserve to know."

Senior laid his hand on Tony's arm. "Care to tell me about it now?"

TIVA

_New York City_

_Early May, 2019_

Tony paced like a caged panther while he waited. He made his fifty-seventh trip past the top of the stairs that led to the subway station when he saw a familiar form ascending in the middle of the group of commuters. Try as she could to blend in to be unnoticed, she would never blend in to him. He opened his mouth to call her name, but bit it back, letting it die on his tongue. He couldn't draw any undue attention to her and yelling "Ziva" at a crowd of people would certainly do that. As soon as she was close enough, Tony grabbed Ziva's hand. Stepping to the side, he drew her to him and locked her in his embrace. "Finally, Sweet Cheeks," he whispered in her ear. He kissed her briefly but sincerely. "I didn't think you would ever get here."

"I missed you, too," she told him, running a hand through his hair. They came apart, but still held hands. Tony linked their fingers together, wanting to keep them as close as possible. He took Ziva's bag and slung it over his shoulder. "You did not have to meet me here."

"Yes, I did," he insisted.

They walked for a couple of blocks and Tony was uncharacteristically quiet. When Ziva looked at him, he would smile, but say nothing. He seemed more fidgety than normal, squeezing her hand or swinging their joined hands between them. "Tony, are you okay?"

"Sure," he replied quickly. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"That is what I would like to know."

"I'm fine. Peachy keen."

"You act…nervous." Ziva shook her head. "Maybe I should not have come."

"No! I _needed_ you to come."

She would not relent. "Tony, you are _not_ fine. You have barely spoken. Your hands are sweaty. You are breathing like we are running a marathon. We are walking in the opposite direction of the hotel." She stopped them. "I am not taking _one more_ step until you tell me what is going on."

"Okay, yeah, I'm nervous," Tony confessed. "Isn't a guy _supposed_ to be nervous when he is about to ask the woman he loves to marry him?" It was Ziva's turn to be speechless. "I know that this is the worst proposal in the history of marriage, but here it is." He picked up her other hand and looked into her eyes. "Marry me, Ziva."

In her heart, Ziva knew that she would say "yes" the minute Tony asked her. Yet, right now, she could not make the word come out. She didn't doubt their love. It had been tested too many times over the past decade and a half only to come out stronger. This…this was the ultimate test, not marriage, but their despicable situation. The uncertainty of it all was the only thing that kept her from shouting her answer from the top of one of the myriad of tall buildings surrounding them. "Tony…"

Tony sensed her reservation. He told her once that her eyes wouldn't shut up. Right now, they were practically _screaming_ "yes." He also understood her hesitation. "Don't say _anything_," he requested. "Hear me out." Tony took a breath, steeling himself to present his case. _No pressure, DiNozzo. It's only the most important thing you will ever say to the person who holds your heart and soul in her hands. You got this. _"I know what you're thinking. You're thinking this is the absolute worst possible time to even _think_ about getting married. I thought that, too…at first. Then I realized, it _has_ to happen now. Have you thought about what would happen to Tali if you died?"

The frankness of his statement struck Ziva. "She has you. You would take care of her."

"I mean, beyond that. Eli left you _a lot_ of stuff."

"And you want to be in charge of it if I die?"

"No. I mean, yes, but…no."

"You are confusing me, Tony. You want to marry me for my father's money?"

"This sounded _so_ much better in the car ride here," he mumbled. "I would marry you if you were penniless. You know what? _Forget_ money. Forget all of that. If this Sahar is successful, what happens to you? I don't mean where do you go in the afterlife. I mean, what happens to _you_? What happens after the chalk outlines have been drawn and the police tape has been stretched out? I'll tell ya. You would be loaded up into a coroner's wagon and left at the morgue. You have no next-of-kin. I was a cop, Ziva. I've seen what happens to unclaimed bodies. We wouldn't be dealing with Jimmy or Ducky who would do the right thing because they knew you, but some overworked, underpaid autopsy gremlin who doesn't care who you were. With no one to claim you, you'd just be another cold stiff dumped into the potter's field. No matter how much I love you, I'd have no legal claim. I don't want that to happen to you." Tony realized he was facing these facts for the first time himself. It wasn't just rhetoric any more. "If, God-forbid, the worst _does_ happen, I don't want you dumped somewhere like so much trash. You are my family. I want you to be somewhere we could visit any time we wanted. I would want you to be buried in the family plot…where my mom's buried. I need that." His voice cracked. "For my peace of mind, I need to know that no one else will be deciding where you're buried or making medical decisions if you're in a coma or whether or not to turn off the life-support. That's _my_ job. I couldn't live the rest of my life without having that one…that one _last_ chance to see you." He squeezed his eyes closed to quell the tears. "Most of all, though, I _will not_ lose you again and I won't walk away from the chance to get what we've wanted, no matter how brief it may turn out to be." Tony cleared his throat. "If you want a larger wedding later, I will throw you the biggest wedding celebration you've ever seen. I'll rent the Taj Mahal for the reception. Senior probably knows a guy who can make it happen." Ziva chuckled. "I said all of that to say this, I want nothing more _in this world_ than for you to be my wife."

The entire time, Ziva's eyes never left his face. She saw every fear, every unshed tear, every emotion. He had laid himself bare to her in the middle of the sidewalk in New York City. "Ask me again."

"What?"

"Ask me again." She gave him a coy grin. "I cannot answer until I have been properly asked."

Tony understood what she was doing. He gave her the roguish smile that never failed to make her heart flip. "Ziva David, will you marry me?"

Her reply was out before he said the final word. "Yes, I will marry you, Anthony DiNozzo. Now kiss me before I change my mind."

"If I kiss you, Sweet Cheeks, there's _no way_ you're changing your mind." He released her hands and drew Ziva to him, kissing until they were breathless, ignoring everyone else around them. To them, they were the only two people in the world.

TIVA

"Our next stop was the City Clerk's office and to get the marriage license," Tony told his father. "I took her to the Diamond District to pick out the rings." He fingered the bands. "She decided she didn't want an engagement ring. She picked out this chain instead." He gave a short laugh. "She wants Mom's ring when she gets back. Something old, something new and all that."

"I know why Ziva can't, but why aren't you wearing _your_ ring?"

"I promised her and myself that when I put this ring on, it was staying on for good. I wouldn't wear it until then. I won't have it be a prop or part of a cover story."

"When did you marry?" Senior asked.

"The next day. After we got the rings, we went to dinner and then straight to the hotel." Tony smiled at the memory.

"So, you had the honeymoon before the wedding?"

"We had a child before we went on a proper date," Tony countered. "If it were in order, then it wouldn't be _us_." Tony raked his hand through his hair. "Now do you see why I _have_ to go?"

"No," Senior replied. "I see why I _can't let you_ go."

**Author's note: Thank you so much for the kind comments so far. This chapter was the most emotional thing I think I have ever written. I had to stop more than once and take a breath. Never fear. This will turn out okay for our favorite couple. Just hang with me. Special thanks to my friends who I bother every few sentences and my BFF for always being so supportive. Reviews are wanted and welcomed. Happy reading. TIVA FOREVER!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

"In case you haven't noticed," Tony said, "I'm not five anymore, Dad. I'm a grown man. I don't need your permission."

"I never said you did," Senior countered. "I meant that I am going to have to do everything I can to show you it is the _last_ thing you need to do."

"You can _try_," Tony replied, an edge of defiance in his voice.

"For your sake…and the sake of everyone involved…you better hope I succeed." He turned so he was looking at his son. "If Tali gets taken to New York, you will take her."

"You're leaving, huh? Just like always."

"No."

"But you said…"

"I said when Tali goes to New York, you will take her. I never said I wouldn't be with you. I love that little girl with all my heart, but she's not _my_ daughter. She's yours. This isn't a parenting lecture. God knows I'm the _last_ person to be giving you one of those. Think about it, Son. Ziva could have given Tali to _anyone_ to protect her, but she didn't. She gave her to you. She trusts _you_. Ziva knew you would protect Tali like you've always protected her."

"Which is why she's hiding from a psycho killer, right?" Tony snarked.

"Junior, for once, don't dispute me. Just…just shut up and listen."

In his entire life, Tony had never heard his father speak to him like he was right now. So, he did what he requested. He shut up and listened.

"You're feeling a lot of different emotions right now, but most of all, you're feeling guilty. Am I right? You think that this is a choice between who you love more, Tali or Ziva." Tony nodded mutely. "It's not. You cannot leave Tali right now for the same reason that Ziva brought her to you. It's all about trust, Junior. She _trusts_ you, not just to make sure Tali is taken to your safe place, but trusts you to trust _her_."

"This would be a whole lot easier to take if you weren't making so much sense," Tony begrudgingly admitted. "I just want to _do_ something."

"You are." Senior took a minute. "I'm going to pose the same question to you that you did to Ziva. Have you thought about what happens to Tali if something happens to you?"

"Dad…"

"No. What happens if you go after Ziva and neither of you come home?" The air was heavy, like all of the amassed worry hung around them. "You don't want to think about it. _I_ don't want to think about it, but for the sake of that little girl in there, we _have_ to think about it…and talk about it. Tali does not deserve to be an orphan. I'm too old to raise a child. I wouldn't leave her alone, but what happens when I can't do it anymore or I die? She would have no one. I don't want that and neither do you or Ziva."

Tony had gone from defiant to accepting to frustrated. "I just want to help her." He pressed his fists to his eyes. "That's all."

"I know that." Senior placed a sympathetic hand on Tony's shoulder. "You love her. I understand both sides of this. I've been in Ziva's place. Distractions are deadly and that's exactly what you would be…a distraction. Just _seeing_ you could distract her just enough to cause her to lose focus. I don't need to remind you what can happen in a split second."

"No…no you don't."

"Taking Tali back home doesn't mean you're a coward." He could tell by the way his son stiffened that his statement hit home. "The bravest thing you can do right now is trust Ziva and you _have_ to. Knowing that you and your mother were safely in New York where no one associated with…my line of work knew you even existed was the only way I could do what I had to do. Asking you to hide away when she wants nothing more than to have the _one person_ she knows will always have her back be there is as hard for Ziva as _not_ being there is for you."

Tony knew everything his father was telling him was the truth. Still, he didn't want to let it go. "We've always been a team."

"You're _still_ a team. This is the most important time to be a team. It's just _this_ is how you're a team now," the older man explained. "You protect Tali. Ziva eliminates Sahar."

Tony barked a mirthless laugh. "You make it sound so simple."

"Maybe it is. Simple? Yes. Easy? Never."

"How do you know I won't go anyway?"

"Why did Ziva leave? Why did you take Tali to New York and why didn't you let Tali know Ziva was there?" He didn't wait for his son to answer. "It's because your love for Tali and Ziva is stronger than your hate for Sahar. You will do whatever you have to do to make sure they're okay, even if it costs you." Senior watched Tony digest his words and decided to bring up the 500 lb. gorilla in the room they'd been avoiding. "There is another reason…one that I'm loathe to bring up, but have to."

Tony knew what Senior was going to say. He took a shaky breath and beat him to it. "Ziva wants Tali with me…" He stopped and looked to the ceiling. "God…don't make me say it."

"We have to be realistic, Son."

"Tali does not need to be alone if the word comes that Ziva isn't coming home." Just the admission drained all the fight Tony had in him. If anyone else were in the room but his father, he would have swallowed the lump in his throat even if it choked him. He didn't care to let Senior see his tears.

"It is a legitimate concern. If this happens, Tali will need someone to help her deal with it. You know the pain of losing a parent. The difference is, you had to go through it alone." The room fell silent while both Anthony DiNozzos thought about their wife and mother. "I deeply regret that," Senior confessed. "I wasn't there when my child needed me and, all these years later, my only consolation is that my son became a better man in spite of me."

"You've more than made up for it with Tali," Tony said. "I don't know how I would have done it without your help for the last three years." He looked at the half-filled suitcase between them. "She's in D.C. I could be there in an hour."

"But, you won't."

"No, I won't," Tony sighed. "I'm going to sit here and try not to think about the fact that the woman I love is on her way to face someone who wants her dead."

"I got a better idea." Senior pointed to the door with his thumb. "I know where there's a little girl who is just bursting at the seams to tell you all about our morning at the Aquarium." Tony smiled and rose from his seat on the bed. He clapped his dad on the shoulder as he walked past.

"Daddy!"

"Hey, there, Kiddo! Pop-Pop said you had fun at the Aquarium. I want to hear _all_ about."

**Author's note: Thank you for the response to the story so far. Especially lately, it has been an emotional roller coaster. However, don't worry. Our couple will get their happy ending. Reviews are wanted and welcomed. Thanks so much to my "support system." TIVA FOREVER!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

_New York_

_Two Days Later_

The ear-splitting sound of alarm bells rang throughout the house. Tony ran toward kitchen where he met his father who was coming out. "Where's Tali?" he yelled over the sound of the alarm.

"Watching cartoons," Senior yelled back. "She asked for a juice box."

Tony headed for the living room, Senior hot on his heels. One look revealed the room was empty. "I'll check her bedroom. You go…"

"Daddy!"

Years of training kicked in. He pulled a gun from the holster at small of his back and ran toward the direction of the voice. Tali stood at the front door, hands clasped over her ears. Tony scooped her in his arms and stood her in front of his father. "Safe room!" Senior nodded and, placing his arm around Tali's shoulder, herded his granddaughter out of the room. Tony punched buttons on the control panel near the door, disarming the alarm. He made a trip around the perimeter of the house. Nothing was disturbed and he saw no signs that any uninvited guests had been on the grounds.

Once back inside, Tony reset the alarm. He pressed the button beside the panel that sent the "all clear" signal to the safe room and went to meet Senior and Tali. He slid his 9mm back into its holster and walked toward the kitchen.

"Daddy!" Tali went straight to her father. He knelt to her level and wrapped her in a hug. "That was _loud_!" she said, pulling back. "We went in that room you said I'm not 'sposed to go in. Pop-Pop said it was okay."

"It was this time." Tony stroked her hair, thankful she was okay. "Listen, Tali, do you remember when we talked about stranger danger?"

"Uh huh." Her eyes grew wide. "Is that why you and Pop-Pop had a gun?"

"Yes."

"I didn't see a stranger when I tried to open the door."

"Wait." Tony narrowed his eyes and looked at Tali. "_You_ opened the door?"

"I tried to, but…"

"Tali, why did you try to open the door?"

"I want to go outside," she stated pointblank.

"Sweetheart," Senior spoke up, "we talked about this when we left Baltimore. You have to stay inside because of stranger danger. We _all_ have to stay inside until we know it is safe."

"But I don't want to." There was no whining in her voice. She was simply stating a fact. "I'm tired of being inside and it's Thursday."

"Thursday?"

"Uh huh. Thursday is Ice Cream Day. On Thursday, we play outside then go get ice cream."

Standing there, Senior was transported back about forty years to a similar conversation with another five-year-old who decided going to wait on the ice cream truck was a legitimate excuse for sneaking out of the house without telling his parents. This was the reason he'd installed an alarm on the door in the first place.

Tony ran a hand through his hair. "Okay, first off, no more opening the door."

"How will I get outside?"

"You won't be going outside." Tony tried another approach. "Remember when we talked about the bad people who want to hurt Ima?"

"Y…yes, sir." The child sensed the serious turn of the conversation.

"Well, we don't know where they are. They could be anywhere, watching us." He didn't want to scare her, but she needed to understand. "That's why all of us…me and you and even Pop-Pop…we have to stay inside to protect Ima."

Tali was torn. She would _never_ let anyone hurt Ima, but she was so very tired of being cooped up. She sighed. "But…it's Ice Cream Day."

Her father growled in frustration. He rose and paced a few steps. "We have popsicles. How about a popsicle?"

"I don't want a popsicle. I want ice cream."

"Okay. The last time Pop-Pop went out for groceries, he got a box of cones. I'll make us homemade ice cream cones."

"It's not the same."

"It's _ice cream_."

"Not like we get at the ice cream store."

"We can't _go_ to the ice cream store."

"But it's _Ice Cream Day_."

The two were at an impasse. Watching his son argue with a pint-sized version of himself had Senior biting his lip to keep from laughing. He looked at pair, arms-crossed, jaw set, and wearing matching obstinate glares. However, enough was enough. "Alright, you two, that's enough!" They both looked at him with the same surprised look. He looked to his granddaughter. "Tali, I want you to go sit on the far end of the sofa in the living room."

"But, Pop-Pop…"

"No, ma'am. No 'But, Pop-Pop.' The sofa. Now, please." Still in shock over hearing her grandfather raise his voice, Tali went without any further dispute. "Now, Junior…"

"Junior?" Tony squeaked. "What did I do?"

"You're both acting like five-year-olds. _Someone_ has to be the parent." Senior shook his head. "Never let _anyone_ tell you this child is nothing like you. They have no idea what they're talking about."

"I…"

"_You_ will go sit on the other end."

"Dad, you _cannot_ be…"

"Anthony. Sofa." Without further protest, Tony did as he was told. "Ziva's going to love this story," Senior said to himself as he moved around the kitchen. He made three bowls of ice cream, adding sprinkles and whipped cream to each. In the living room, he passed out the ice cream before walking to the television and putting on a movie. He took a seat between them. "Now, we will all sit here, eat our ice cream, and watch a movie like a normal, civilized family or there will be no more Ice Cream Days…ever. Understood?" His statement was met by a duet of "yes, sir." "Good."

"How did you know that _Dumbo_ makes me smile?" Tali asked.

"This isn't my first run-in with a sulking DiNozzo, ya know," her grandfather answered with a wink.

Within ten minutes of the start of the movie, the recent confrontation had been forgotten. When Tali finished her ice cream, she moved from her spot on the sofa and climbed into her father's lap. When the scene came on where the baby elephant is being rocked in his imprisoned mother's trunk, she snuggled against his chest. Tony kissed the top of her head, knowing the scene made the little girl miss her Ima.

The next thing Tony remembered was waking up alone. Wherever Senior and Tali were, there was a better than average chance that they were together, so he wasn't worried. He raised his arm to check the time, but realized he wasn't wearing his watch. Fumbling in his pocket, he fished out his cell phone. He tapped the screen, but there was no response. "Great," he mumbled. With a groan, he hoisted himself off the sofa in search of a phone charger. Tony found one beside the recliner he claimed shortly after they arrived. Dropping in the recliner, he plugged in his phone and waited. When the phone finally had enough power to turn on, he powered it up. A few seconds later, a tone sounded. Tony looked to see voicemail icon at the top of the screen. He pressed a few keys. He was totally unprepared for what he heard.

"_Tony…Sahar is dead. It is over. We are free. Please, let me know that you have received this message. I love you."_

The phone slipped from his hand and clattered to the floor. It took him a minute for the fact to register. He breathed one word. "Ziva." He scrambled to retrieve his phone. Immediately, he replayed the voicemail. _This time_ he paid attention to the words and not just the voice speaking them. Tears sprang to his eyes. "Dad!" he called weakly. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Dad. Dad!"

"You call me, Junior?" Senior stopped when he saw the tears. "Junior? Is it Ziva?" Tony nodded. "Is she…"

A wide grin spilt Tony's face. "It's over, Dad. She's coming home."

"Pop-Pop, the timer just went 'ding,'" Tali said, coming into the room. She looked at the two men and eased close to her grandfather. "Why is Daddy crying?"

Tony dashed away the tears with the back of his hand. "C'mere, Baby." Tali hesitated briefly then walked tentatively to her father. Tony pulled her into his lap. "I got a phone call. Ima is coming home."

Tali gasped. "For forever?"

"For forever," Tony assured her. "I need you to do me a favor. You know how we make videos for Ima? We are going to make one to send her right now." He placed the child on the floor. "Back up just a little bit. Right there. That's good. Now…go."

"I love you, Ima," Tali said to the camera. "We miss you." When Tony saw she wasn't going to say anything else, he stopped recording. "Was that good, Daddy?"

"It was perfect, Kiddo. Ima will love it. Now, stand still and let me get a picture so Ima can see how pretty you look today." He snapped a photo. "You are _so_ pretty, just like your Ima." Tony sent them.

"What do we do now, Daddy?"

"Now…we wait."

The past three years were a blur compared to the next couple of hours. Tony checked his phone incessantly. He ate dinner one-handed, as if laying down his phone meant he would miss whatever came in. Finally, he heard it…the text message tone unique to Ziva. "Ima says she loves you, too, and misses you, but she'll be home _very_ soon."

"Did you hear that, Pop-Pop?" Tali questioned excitedly. "Ima is coming home."

"I did, Sweetheart and I am very glad." He looked at Tony, phone in hand. "Ya know what? I think your Ima needs a sign welcoming her home. Would you like to help me make one?"

"Can it have butterflies on it?"

"The more the merrier. How about it? Want to help?"

"Yeah!"

"I have some big paper in my study," Senior told her. "That's what we need."

"Okay." Tali hopped from her seat. "I'm going to help Pop-Pop." That was her parting words before she darted from the room.

"I figured you may want a little privacy to make a phone call," the older man said.

"Thanks, Dad."

"I'm happy for you, Son. Give Ziva my love."

"I will," Tony promised. He watched his father head in the same direction Tali had gone before he moved to his recliner. He fired off a text.

_Can you talk?_

The reply was almost immediate.

_Yes!_

Tony smiled. He made himself comfortable, selected the number, and pressed "call." After what seemed like an eternity, the call was picked up on the other end.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Sweet Cheeks."

**Author's Note: I told you there will be a happy ending. :) For all of those still hanging with me, THANK YOU! The end is nearing (I can hear some of you cheering). A special thanks to my personal support group. You rock! Reviews are awesome! TIVA FOREVER!**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

"It is _so_ good to hear your voice."

Tony could hear her relief. "I know something even better. Hang on." He held the phone in front of him and pressed the button for Facetime. The only thing better than hearing her voice was seeing her face. He _needed_ to see her face, if for nothing else than his peace of mind. Momentarily, Ziva filled his screen. He didn't know how long he sat simply staring at her. She was real. She was alive. She was coming home. "Hi," he finally managed to say.

"Hello." Her smile was genuine. She quickly brushed away the tears on her cheeks. For once, these were tears of joy. Ziva reached out to touch the screen, but stopped short. Soon enough, she would be able to touch the real thing. "Sahar is dead." She'd told him in the voicemail, but she wanted to see his face when she said the words. "I know this for sure." Tony didn't press and Ziva did not elaborate. Perhaps someday, but not today. "She is no longer a threat to us."

_Us_. It had never been just about her. Ziva had risked her life for the last few years for her family. Tony swallowed hard. "You're okay, though."

"I am…more than okay. I am coming home." She saw Tony wipe away his own tear. "It is very quiet," Ziva noted. "Are you alone?"

"Senior and Tali are making a sign for your welcome home celebration," he explained. He smiled, "Dad sends his love. He arranged some privacy for us. It may sound selfish, but I wanted the chance to talk to you first."

"If you are selfish, then so am I. I have been avoiding Jimmy and McGee because I did not want to speak to anyone until I had spoken to you." Ziva stared silently for a long minute. "It is almost impossible to believe."

"Believe it," Tony reassured her. "Ever since I got your voicemail, I've been thinking. I have a plan."

"Okay."

"Wow! No arguing or witty retort? Who are you and what have you done with my wife?"

"She is right here, waiting to hear your _brilliant_ plan."

"Ah-ha. There she is." The responding laugh was music to his ears. "God, I've missed you."

"I have missed you, too. Now, the plan…"

"Right. I think it's wise for Tali to stay here."

"So, we will not meet in Paris?"

He saw her face fall. "_We_ will meet in Paris," he assured her. "Tali can stay with Dad. No one else needs to know it will just be the two of us there. We can keep up the illusion. Think of it as an extra safety measure."

"In case it is not _completely_ over?"

"'In case' and not 'because,'" Tony clarified. "Just an extra safety precaution. If there _is_ someone else, they have to face the both of us…together." He flashed her his cocky grin. "They _do not_ want that."

"No, they do not." Ziva lowered her voice. "This will also mean that there will be privacy for a reunion, yes?"

"Oh, yeah!" Tony matched her tone. "Some _much-needed_ alone time. We are _newlyweds_ after all."

"Newlyweds with a five-year-old," she said with a chuckle.

"Newlyweds without a proper honeymoon," he countered.

"You have the rings?"

Tony reached inside his shirt and pulled out the chain enough for her to see the golden bands before he dropped them back inside. "I told Dad, but Tali doesn't know."

"Your father will not tell her." This was a statement and not a question.

"No, he won't," Tony agreed.

"We can tell her together." Ziva paused in thought. "So many good things."

"After what we've been through, we deserve good things."

"You sound like Senior," she laughed.

"He's not wrong _all_ of the time." He heard the clock chime in the hall. "Wow. I didn't realize how late it is." He scrubbed a hand across his face. "I fell asleep during _Dumbo_ and must have slept longer than I thought."

"_Dumbo_?"

"Yeah. We watched it while we were in 'separation' after the argument."

"Argument? You and your father?"

"No. Tali and I had a … dispute over Ice Cream Day. Senior took it upon himself to settle it." Ziva laughed out loud. "I'm sure he will tell you _all_ about it."

"I cannot wait to hear."

A comfortable silence settled between them. They were content to stare at their respective phones. Tony started to speak at the same time as Ziva.

"I guess I…"

"Tony, if…"

"You first," Tony said with a chuckle.

"I was going to say that if you need to hang up, I understand."

"Yeah. I guess I should go pretty soon. I have to pack before bed." He gave her his most charming smile. "Ya see, I am flying out tomorrow to meet my wife in Paris."

"What a coincidence," she said. "I am meeting my husband in Paris tomorrow."

Once again, they spoke in unison.

"I love you."

"I love you."

"The next time we say that will be in person. Good night, Sweet Cheeks. Sleep well."

"Good night, my little Hairy Butt." Ziva blew him a kiss.

He gave her a wink and a smile then disconnected the call. He ran a hand through his hair. _One more sleep_. When he was a little boy, that is how Tony counted down to important dates. Christmas Eve was one more sleep until Christmas. July 7th was one more sleep until his birthday. Tonight…tonight was one more sleep until his family was reunited.

**Author's Note: We're getting closer. The next chapter is our Tiva reunion. Thanks for hanging with me so far. This also means that we're getting closer to the end. It's been quite a ride. Thanks so much to my personal support system. You're invaluable. Reviews are AWESOME! Thanks so much for your response so far. It's been amazing. TIVA forever!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

"You be good for Pop-Pop while I'm gone, okay?" Tony said to his daughter.

"Yes, Daddy. I'm _always_ good for Pop-Pop," Tali answered confidently. "That's 'cause we are best pals...and he lets me eat ice cream for breakfast." Her father bit his lip to keep from laughing.

"Are you sure you got everything?" Senior put in. "Especially the...important thing."

"Yes, Dad," he said. He patted his chest. "I got it."

"_Flight 301 to Paris is now boarding." _

"That's me." Tony crouched in front of Tali. "One for the road, Baby Girl." He held open his arms and she walked into them. "I love you so much."

"Love you, too, Daddy. Two more sleeps, right?"

"Yep. Two more sleeps."

"Then, you will be home and Ima is coming with you to stay _forever!" _

"That's the plan."

"And we'll all live happily ever after."

"Yes, we will." Tony kissed her cheek before releasing her and standing. He stuck out his hand to his father. Instead of shaking it, Senior pulled him into an embrace.

"Bring her home, Son," the older man said softly.

"Yes, sir." Tony stepped back. He lifted the strap of his carry-on bag to his shoulder. "See you soon." He gave the pair one last wave and headed in the direction of the boarding gate. Beyond that lay the plane, Paris...and Ziva.

**TIVA**

_Roissy – Charles de Gaulle Airport_

_Paris, France_

Tony stood in line at the security checkpoint. He leaned over to see if the front of the line had even moved. It seemed he had been standing in the same place for at least a half an hour. Checking his watch, he recalled the day so far. He'd never been so glad to get off of an airplane in his life. Equipment malfunctions, weather, and an unruly passenger had thrown him hours behind. Tony was growing more impatient by the minute.

"He's meeting someone special," a voice behind him said.

"Hush, Harold," another voice said. "It's none of our business."

"He is. I can tell. That's exactly how I was trying to get off that boat when I got back from Korea in '53." He reached up and tapped Tony on the shoulder. "You meeting your girl, young fella?"

Tony turned to see who was speaking to him. "I apologize," the older lady said. "My husband has a big problem minding his own business."

"It's fine, ma'am, really," Tony answered with his most genuine smile. "As a matter of fact, I am. I'm meeting my wife." His smile grew wider. This was the first time he'd ever openly referred to Ziva as his wife and it felt good.

"You're newlyweds, too, aren't ya?"

"Yes, sir. We've only been married a few months." It felt odd to admit. He and Ziva had known each other for the better part of two different decades.

"See, Bernice. I can spot 'em a mile away." The man stuck out his hand. "Harold Richards is my name. This is my wife Bernice."

"Anthony DiNozzo," Tony replied, shaking the man's hand. "Pleased to meet you, sir, ma'am."

"Such a polite young man," Bernice said. "Please, don't call me 'ma'am.' I feel old enough as it is. It's Bernice."

"Only if you call me 'Tony.'"

"Where ya from, Tony?" Harold asked.

"New York. You?"

"Missouri. What brings you to Paris? Taking the little lady on a second honeymoon?"

"Something like that," Tony said. He fell into conversation with the couple. If nothing else, it would help him pass the time in line. He discovered that a health scare made Harold revaluate things and make good the promise he made to Bernice to take her to Paris. Much like Tony and Ziva, Harold and Bernice had a one-night honeymoon, marrying the day before he shipped out to Korea. He heard about children, grandchildren, Harold's time as a mail carrier, and Bernice's beloved basset hound, and their last few days in the City of Lights. One thing Tony had learned to do was to both listen and watch. He let his new friends talk, but all the while, scanned the area beyond the checkpoint. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy talking to Harold and Bernice, but they weren't why he was here.

Finally, Tony was next in line. He had his passport out and ready. He wanted as few delays as possible before he could get to Ziva. "_Bon jour_," he said to the Customs Agent as he handed over his passport.

"_Bon jour_, Monsieur…DiNozzo," the agent replied, checking to see if Tony matched the photograph he held. "Where are you coming from?"

"New York."

"How long will you be staying in Paris?"

"Two days."

"I see. What is the purpose of your visit? Business or pleasure?"

"Oh, definitely pleasure," he answered.

"Are you traveling alone?"

He thought about Ziva and a smile automatically came to his face. "Not for long."

"Do you have anything to declare?"

"I'm tired of this and I just want to be with my wife," Tony muttered under his breath.

"_Pardon_?"

"No," he corrected. "I have nothing to declare."

"Everything seems to be in order," the Customs Agent stated flatly. He returned Tony's passport. "Enjoy your stay, Monsieur DiNozzo."

"I plan on it." Tony accepted his passport. He waved at his new friends and hurried to the public arrival area.

Tony adjusted the bag on his shoulder and looked around the room. Somewhere in the public arrival area was Ziva. He could _feel_ her. He'd always been able to sense her presence, but that wasn't enough...not this time. He needed to _touch_ her, to have her touch him, so he could be absolutely sure this wasn't a dream or some sort of bizarre mirage. This wasn't his first visit in this particular airport, but today it seemed busier than usual, like someone opened the floodgates and released a deluge of humans. He never considered himself a short person, but Tony was beyond frustrated at trying to see over the multitudes. He was almost ready to resort to jumping to see over them like Tali did when they watched parades.

"Tony!"

His head whipped to the right, following the sound of a voice he would recognize _anywhere_. There, standing on the seat of a bench, was Ziva. She waved when she saw him look at her. He waved back and saw a smile he didn't believe he'd ever seen her wear before. Tony clutched his carry-on against his side and "ran for daylight," weaving between bodies wherever he found a hole like he was following his blockers back at Ohio State. The difference was this time, he was headed toward something more important than a goal line...the love of his life. Momentarily, he lost sight of her, when he hit a wall of bodies that wouldn't move no matter how many times he said "Excuse me." "Ziva?!"

"Two o'clock, Tony," she answered.

He oriented himself in the right direction and continued. There was one more pack of people he needed to navigate before he was in open space. Once he cleared them, he was home-free. Ziva hopped down from her perch. Tony was tempted to break into a run and sweep her into his arms when they met like one of the old movies his mother loved, he didn't care _how_ cheesy it looked. When he saw her, though, all he cared about was getting to Ziva. Twenty more steps, then ten. Finally, she was right in front of him. Ziva wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on Tony's chest. He returned the embrace. "This is real, right?" he murmured in her ear. "You're really here?"

"It is real," she assured him. "I am... home."

Tony placed his hand on the back of her head and held her close. Years of frustration and worry fell away. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, the first free breath he'd taken in a long, long time. He blinked hard, not wanting to ruin the moment with tears, but when he felt the wetness through his shirtfront, he stopped trying. Happy tears were always welcomed. Tony kissed her hair. He knew they were standing in the waiting area of one of the busiest airports in the world, but, here and now, that didn't matter. He finally had his Ziva back in his arms and he wasn't ready to let go. Eventually, they came back down to Earth. He released Ziva from his embrace, but took her hand and led them to the bench where she had stood. Still holding onto her hand, Tony attempted to extract the gold chain from underneath his collar. Realizing he would eventually need both hands, Tony reluctantly let go. He unbuttoned an additional button and unclasped the necklace, sliding the rings into his palm. He picked up Ziva's ring and she, in turn, took his. He took her left hand. "I've waited..._so long_ to do this." His hand was shaking when he slid the wedding band onto her third finger. He looked into his wife's eyes which were filled with tears. "I love you, Mrs. DiNozzo...with every fiber of my being."

Ziva stared at her hand for a long moment. She wiped her eyes and took Tony's hand. "There were times when I did not think I would live to do this," she said with a tremble in her voice. "Knowing you were waiting kept me sane." The tears were flowing when she placed the wedding band on Tony's finger. "I love you _so_ much, Mr. DiNozzo." She put her hands on his cheeks and kissed him, long and sweetly. "So, it is 'official' now, is it not?"

"Not quite." Tony reached into his pocket and pulled out a worn, velvet-covered box. "I was going to wait for a more romantic setting, but...I can't." He opened the lid and revealed the ring another Anthony DiNozzo bought for his bride many years earlier. It was elegant in its simplicity, classically beautiful, just like the woman in the pictures Tony had shared. "Dad had it specially made for Mom. The jeweler custom-created the cut of the diamond. He likes to call it 'the DiNozzo cut.' It's one-of-a-kind. None other like it in the world...just like you." Tony picked up the ring from the lining. "I think Mom would like for you to have it. Senior will probably _shoot_ me if you come home without it." Ziva laughed through her tears as Tony slipped it into place. "_Now_ it's official."

"No wonder you were in such a hurry to get through that check-point."

Tony turned to see the couple he'd talked with in the customs line. "Yep," he answered with a smile. He saw Ziva's questioning look. "This is Harold and Bernice. We made friends waiting to clear customs." He straightened unconsciously. Ziva had taken his hand. "This is my wife, Ziva." He realized that this was the first time he'd introduced her as his wife and he was indescribably proud of the fact.

"Pleased to meet you," Bernice spoke up. "Pardon my husband. He has no manners."

Ziva chuckled at the comment. "I know the feeling," she replied. "It is nice to meet you, too."

"We will leave you two alone," the older woman said. "Congratulations."

"If you're ever in our neck of the woods," Harold said, "stop in. We'll swap lies."

"Will do," Tony replied. They watched the older couple continue on their way. He looked at Ziva with an amused grin. "Did you just, in a round-about way, refer to me as your husband?"

"After you introduced me as your wife, yes I did," she countered. She saw him looking at her, smiling like an idiot and gave him a wink. "So, my husband, what now?"

"We find a cab so I can take _my wife_ away from all this..._this_," he said with a wave of his hand at the hustle and bustle surrounding them, "to our hotel."

"Then, what are we waiting for? As you would say, we are burning daylight." Given her history with American idioms, Ziva waited for Tony to correct her.

"Don't look at me," he told her. "You got that one right." He kissed her hand, but still held on, pulling her to her feet. He used his free hand to take her backpack and sling it on the same shoulder as his bag. As they made their way through the airport, Tony still wanted to pinch himself, not just because he and Ziva were together, but the fact that they could walk openly hand-in-hand in public and not have to worry about any repercussions. They were free...just like any other couple.

Tony hailed a cab pretty easily. They were able to be even closer within the safe confines of the vehicle. The ride started out with the pair holding hands. Later, Ziva took hold of Tony's arm, resting her head on his shoulder. Eventually, she placed his arm around her shoulders and wrapped her arm around his middle. "If you get any closer, you might as well be sitting in my lap," he joked.

"If you insist." She maneuvered herself onto her husband's lap, laying her head on his chest. She sighed contentedly. "I cannot believe we are here," Ziva breathed, toying with one of the buttons on Tony's shirt.

"Paris or on our honeymoon?"

"Yes." She heard the chuckle rumble inside him. "Did you ever doubt that we would get through ...everything?"

"If I am honest, yes. I don't know if it was as much that we _would_ get through it, as it was _how_ we would get through."

"But we did."

"We did and here we are...in Paris, on our honeymoon."

Ziva hadn't paid much attention when Tony gave the driver the address. It wasn't until the ride ended that she realized they'd stopped in front of one of the most luxurious hotels in the city. Before she could ask, Tony was urging her out of the cab. He paid for the ride and gathered their bags. She stared in awe. Not at the building. Ziva David had seen some of the most remarkable landmarks in the world. No. It was something else. Last week, her family was in hiding and she was skulking around, afraid to be seen. Today...today she woke up and her only worry was getting to the airport in time to catch her flight. Tonight, instead of sleeping with one eye open wherever she felt safe enough to hole up for a couple of hours, Ziva would fall asleep in the arms of the man she loved...her _husband_. It was all a bit overwhelming.

"I know," Tony said, coming behind her and speaking softly into her ear. She gave him a puzzled look. "What? I've always been able to know what you're thinking. It _seems_ too good to be true, but, for the first time, it's not."

"It _is_ true." While she believed Tony, Ziva needed to say the words to convince herself. Speaking it made it real. "There is no Sahar, no NCIS, no Mossad, no Gibbs' Rules. Nothing to keep us from walking into our hotel."

"Nope. It feels good, doesn't it?" Ziva smiled and reached for Tony's hand.

**TIVA**

The woman behind the desk smiled at the couple as they approached. "May I help you?"

"We have reservations under DiNozzo. Anthony DiNozzo."

The reservations clerk typed information into her computer. "I see them. Two nights in the Penthouse Suite."

"Penthouse Suite?" Ziva repeated. "Oh, Tony, you should not have done this. It is too much."

"I didn't," he assured her. "Dad did. He said to think of it as his wedding present."

"Remind me to thank him."

"Here you are." The woman slid the keycard across the polished desk top. "The elevators are around the corner and to the left. Enjoy your stay and congratulations."

"Thank you." Tony slipped his arm around his wife's waist. "Here we go," he said as they walked to the elevator. The ride up was uneventful, but they took advantage of the moments of relative privacy, stealing their first kiss since the airport. Tony leaned against the wall of the car and wrapped his arms around Ziva from behind. "Remember the hotel from our first under cover assignment?"

"How could I forget, my little Hairy Butt."

"I was just thinking... "

"Yes?"

"I wonder what the tv is like in this place?"

Ziva wheeled in her husband's arms and looked at him in disbelief. "Television?"

"That tv was sweetand that wasn't a penthouse. I bet the one here is _huge_!"

"Honestly, Tony..."

"And, the cable package? Oh, man! American Movie Classics, Turner Classic Movies, _five_ different ESPNs..."

"Tony!"

"I bet they even have those channels that play all the old shows," he continued as if he hadn't heard Ziva. "Ooh! I wonder if we can find _Magnum, P.I._? How great would _that_ be?"

"_Magnum, P.I._?!"

"If you don't like _Magnum_, there's others, although, quite frankly, I don't know why you _wouldn't_ like _Magnum_." He saw the absolutely exasperated look his wife wore and laughed. He couldn't keep up the ruse any longer. Tony placed his hands on her shoulders. "Do you think after all this time and _everything_ we've been through, I care about the cable line-up?" Ziva swatted his chest and he pulled her to him. "There's only one thing about the time in that hotel I want to recreate," he said in an intimate voice.

"Only one?" Ziva countered. "I can think of at least...four."

"Four? Hmm. I'm intrigued. I like the way your mind works, Miss David."

"That's Mrs. DiNozzo and I have the rings to prove it." She held up her left hand between them.

"What a coincidence. I have one of those, too," he said, showing off his own wedding band. Ziva pressed him further against the wall with another kiss. The elevator car stopped, but the kiss didn't. The bell "dinged" and the doors slid open. "Maybe we should get out of here before we end up back in the lobby," Tony said when they finally came apart, resting his forehead against hers.

"You do not think our 're-creations' need an audience?"

"Normally, I would be all for sharing our newfound freedom to be together with the world, but tonight..."

Ziva cut him off by crashing her lips to his. Walking backwards, she grabbed a handful of Tony's shirt and dragged him with her. They stumbled out of the elevator. He dropped their bags and moved his hands to her hair. After releasing his shirt, Ziva peeled off her coat and tossed it aside. She broke the kiss, moved his hands, and began trying to remove Tony's coat. He stripped it off and was about to toss it to join hers when he heard a "thunk." He returned to fervently kissing his wife and blindly searching for a flat surface. They bumped into a table, jarring the telephone receiver free from its cradle when it occurred to him what the "thunk" was.

"We...we need to stop," Tony panted.

"Stop?"

"Not for good," he tried to clarify. "Just for...five minutes." He turned and walked the few feet to where his phone lay when it fell from his jacket pocket. Ziva stared at him with a shocked expression. "I promised Tali I would call when I got you." He saw his wife's features soften. "She's anxious to have her Ima back."

"Just when I thought you could not get any sexier..."

"You ain't seen nothing yet." A few touches to the screen and the phone was placing a Facetime call to Senior's number. "Hi, Dad," he said when the older man answered.

"Hello, Junior." Tali climbed into her grandfather's lap. "I have a little girl here who is very anxious to speak to you."

"Hey, Daddy!" Tali said.

"Hello, Kiddo."

"Are you there yet?"

"I am. Have you been a good girl?"

"Uh-huh. Pop-Pop took me to a grownup restaurant for breakfast."

"That's so cool!" He put on a serious face. "Listen, Tali, I need to talk to you for a minute, okay?"

"Okay, Daddy."

"I want you to close your eyes." He saw the little girl immediately comply. "Now, I want you to think about what you said you wanted for Christmas more than anything." Again, Tali did what he asked without question. Since she was four, his daughter asked for the same thing for Christmas...her Ima. He was about to make her Christmas wish come true. He cleared his throat and hoped he could do this without breaking down himself. Tony turned the phone sideways and held it out at arm's length so he and Ziva were both in the frame. "Merry Christmas, Baby Girl. Open your eyes."

There wasn't a Christmas tree in anyone's decorations that shone brighter than Tali's face when she saw her mother. "_Ima_!" she gasped.

"Hello, my Tali." Tears were silently creeping down her cheeks.

"Is she _really_ there with you, Daddy?"

"She is," Tony confirmed.

The little girl looked up at her grandfather. "He got her, Pop-Pop," she told him, the wonder evident in her voice.

"Just like he said he would." Senior smiled an older version of the smile on the face of the child he held. "Hello, Ziva. It's great to see you."

"You, too," she replied. She hoped she didn't have to say a lot. She didn't trust herself to be able to speak without dissolving into tears.

"When you and Daddy come home, you will be home to stay for-_ever_. Right, Ima?"

"That is right, _yaldati_." Ziva felt Tony slide his free arm around her. She wiped her eyes. Her daughter looked so big. She'd missed so much, but no more. "I have missed you...so much."

"I missed you, too. I don't have to miss you any more 'cause you're coming home."

Senior saw the wrinkles on Tony's shirt. He guessed the flush to Ziva's cheeks had nothing to do with her tears or the winter weather, either. As much as they wanted to speak to their daughter, he knew they were also looking forward to some alone time. "Listen, Junior, I'm glad you called. Now we can have lunch. This kid has her father's appetite. Keep her away from food too long and you create a monster." He patted Tali's shoulder. "Tell your mom and dad 'goodbye' and we will see them soon."

"Bye, Daddy. Bye, Ima. I love you!"

"Love you, too, Baby Girl."

"I love you, _yaldati_."

Tali blew them a kiss. "Talk to you tomorrow," Senior told them. "Have fun," he added giving them a wink before disconnecting the call.

"Well, I think we certainly surprised her," Tony said.

"She is getting so big. I cannot wait to hold her again."

"And you will. Our flight leaves day after tomorrow." He slid the phone into his pocket. "Whatever will we do until then?"

"I am sure that we can think of _something_."

"If I'm not mistaken, I recall _four_ things being mentioned," Tony reminded. He looked past her to the door that led to the bedroom and its king-sized bed. "Race ya," he challenged.

Ziva pulled him in for one more kiss. "First one there gets to be on top."

**Author's Note: Reunited and it feels so good! There you have it. The good news is, Tiva is together...finally. The bad news is we are nearing the end of the journey. This chapter took its own sweet time in developing, but once it did, it rolled like a river. Thanks to everyone who has been hanging with me through it all so far, especially my personal support crew. It means so much! Reviews are awesome! TIVA Forever! **


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Tony awoke face down in his pillow. He was too tangled in the sheets to move much. He laid there for a minute, trying to remember … _anything_. Paris. He was in Paris. That's why the bed linens smelled different. He blinked. Paris...in a hotel...with Ziva. Tony reached to the other side of the bed and grabbed only air. Had he dreamed it? A sick feeling settled into his stomach at the very thought. No. Waking up to find out it was all a dream was like losing her all over again. He couldn't lose her. He brought up his hand to rub his eyes when he saw it...the gold band gracing his left hand. It _wasn't_ a dream. A new question came to mind. If this was real, where was Ziva?

It took a minute for him to extricate himself from the bedclothes. A quick look around the bedroom and the en suite bathroom revealed no Ziva. Tony opened the door and made his way into the living area. She wasn't watching tv nor was she at the dining table. It was noticeably colder than in the bedroom. He gave a quick shiver and rubbed his arms. He spotted the culprit. The doors leading out to the balcony were opened. He saw movement and went to investigate. As he neared, he saw it was Ziva. Her back was to him. She was standing in the middle of the balcony gazing eastward, wrapped in his coat. Years of experience had taught Tony that coming up on Ziva without at least a little bit of warning wasn't a good idea. He cleared his throat as he stepped to the doorway. "Nice coat," he said.

Although Tony couldn't see it, Ziva smiled and pulled the collar to her face. "It smells like you." She glanced over her shoulder briefly. "Where are your clothes?"

"Let's see...my coat. I believe that's the tail of my shirt sticking out from the bottom there. Apparently, you're wearing them." He stepped behind her and snaked his arms around her waist. "How long have you been out here?"

"Since around 0800, when the sky first began to lighten," she answered. "You do realize you are _still_ naked."

"One of the perks of penthouse living. Who's gonna see?" Tony settled his chin on the top of her head. "What were you doing out here before daylight?"

"Watching the sunrise."

"Your first day of freedom." There wasn't a trace of sarcasm in his tone. He was sincere. Tony understood.

Ziva was quiet for a long time. "It does not _look_ different," she finally said, "but it _feels_ different."

"Like you will never look at the sunrise the same way again?"

"Yes."

"I've never been a morning person." Ziva laughed at his "confession." "I know. Big shock." Tony grew serious. "Yesterday, on the flight, sunrise couldn't come fast enough."

"It represents so much. New day. New life. New family. New me."

Tony nuzzled her hair. "I rather like the new you."

"For the first time in my life, I am free to be myself. It is … different."

"With everything you've gone through in your life, you could have let it turn you bitter and callous." He pulled her closer to him. "Instead, you turned out this wonderful, amazing, loving person I get to spend the rest of my life with."

"I like the new you, too," Ziva replied.

"What? I've _always_ been this charming."

"You have?"

"Mmm-hmm. Especially when I'm naked." Tony shivered. "It's cold out here."

"Especially when you are naked," Ziva countered. "We could...go inside and warm up."

"If you're ready…"

Ziva turned in his arms. "I have watched the sunrise. I can be distracted by my naked husband." Tony smiled. He kissed his wife then took her hand and led them back indoors.

**TIVA**

"What would you like to do today?" After returning from the balcony, Tony and Ziva spent the morning in bed, entwined in each other. A little after noon, Tony ordered lunch from Room Service before joining Ziva in the shower. He posed his question while they were ensconced in the fluffy hotel robes eating lunch on the balcony.

"I have not given it any thought." Ziva paused. "For the first time I can do whatever I want and I do not know what I want."

"Freedom is a wonderful thing," he agreed. He stuffed another bite into his mouth. "Is there anything you particularly _want_ to see? Anywhere special you want to go?"

She pondered for a moment. "Paris is such a beautiful city. There are a lot of places I would like to visit, but I would like to avoid all of the tourist traps."

"Tourist traps?" Tony repeated with an amused glint in his eye. "Have you been studying your American idioms while we've been apart?"

"I cannot tell you _all_ of my secrets," she replied coyly. "While I was waiting in the airport, I _did_ read about something I think would be interesting."

"What's that?"

"The Christmas Markets."

"Hmm," Tony mused. "That sounds like the perfect way to wind up our evening."

"I could think of a better way," Ziva offered suggestively, running her bare foot along her husband's calf.

"Let me rephrase," he amended quickly. "That sounds like the perfect way to wind up our evening _out_."

"Where would _you_ like to go?"

"You probably wouldn't like it. It's the most tourist-y place in Paris."

"Tell me."

"The Eiffel Tower." Tony wiped his mouth with his napkin. "I want a picture of us in front of the Eiffel Tower. When we were in Paris before, I wanted one, but I was afraid to ask. I know there's one of us on the Vespa, the one Tali had in her go-bag. Every time I saw it, I was reminded of what a coward I'd been, so I promised myself that if we were ever in Paris together again, I would get my picture." He smiled an embarrassed smile. "I know it sounds cheesy…"

"It does not," Ziva assured him. "It sounds incredibly romantic."

"I never gave up on us. Even before Tali came to me, I knew that no matter who all said I needed to move on, I wouldn't be happy...truly happy...until I had you in my life again."

"So many lonely days for both of us." Her face brightened and she cupped his cheek. "But no more."

"Nope." He kissed her palm. "We made it."

Within the hour, the DiNozzos were walking hand-in-hand down the streets of Paris. The day was bright and sunny with just enough nip in the air to remind them it was winter. Tony had been correct when he referred to it as their first day of freedom. It had always been second nature for them to touch whenever they were near. Now, they didn't have to worry about separating before the wrong people noticed. "I like being able to do this," Ziva said, holding up their joined hands.

"Me, too."

"I want us to be...affectionate in front of Tali. Not...how do you say it? The phrase where you are telling people groping each other in public to go to a hotel?"

"Get a room?" Tony offered.

"Yes, not in _that_ way, but I want our daughter to know her parents love each other."

"And aren't afraid to show it," he added. "I was just a kid, but I'll never forget the way my dad looked at my mom. For all of his other faults, he loved her. There are plenty of ways to show your affection for someone and not be gross."

Ziva giggled. "I cannot believe you just said 'gross.'"

"What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing. It is just that I have not heard an adult use that word in a _long_ time."

"Maybe more adults _should_ say it."

Ziva laughed again. "So, we agree not to be _gross_ in front of Tali. Kissing and holding hands are acceptable."

"Right. So are hugs, cuddling on the couch, especially during movie night, and occasionally having you sit in my lap."

"Especially during movie night," she emphasized. "I miss our movie nights."

"_You_ miss them? Between Tali asking questions and Senior's anecdotes he always seems to have about the actors or the setting or the storyline, it's been ages since I've watched a movie in peace." They stopped at a crosswalk. "That's always an option for tonight," he suggested.

"What?"

"Movie night."

Ziva looked at him incredulously. "On our honeymoon in Paris you would rather spend time watching _television_ than…"

"I never said I _preferred_ it," he defended.

"I am sure that we will be able to find _something_ to occupy ourselves," she replied, looking him over from head-to-toe. "We did not get to all four things last night...or this morning."

While waiting on the light to change, Tony took advantage of the pause to steal a kiss. He was glad they could let the world see the couple they'd been in private for so long.

Tony got his picture at the Eiffel Tower...several, in fact. He sent one of the better ones to Tim with an accompanying text that simply said, "Finally!" His reply was an equally simple heart emoji. "Thanks, Probie," he said quietly before closing the texting app. Ziva sent a similar message to Jimmy Palmer, letting him know she arrived safely and thanking him for the ride. Messages sent, the phones were put away and the exploration continued.

True to Ziva's wishes, they stayed away from the major attractions of the city. Instead, they spent their time wandering the streets, visiting shops, and sampling the local cuisine. There was _lots_ of eating. From croissants at the cafe where they ate on their last trip to Paris to macarons of every flavor imaginable from whatever bakery they passed. Baguettes, crepes, and eclairs were also sampled. Chocolate-loving Ziva wasn't disappointed with what they found in the confectioneries. Since they both packed light, there wasn't additional space available that lots of non-edible purchases would take up. Food, however, was no problem. What they didn't eat while they were out, they could finish in the hotel room.

They had dinner in the twilight at a small cafe with crisp white cloths and candles on the tables. Wine flowed, as did the conversation. For the first time, they could talk about something other than their next rendezvous point or what clues had been found concerning the identity of the person wanting them all dead. When Tony reached across the table and took Ziva's hand, they didn't have to pretend that it was either a part of a cover or an accident. When Ziva held out a forkful of her dinner for Tony to sample, there was no worrying about Mossad tattletales hiding somewhere with a telephoto lens.

As it turns out, dinner before the trip to the Christmas Market was a good idea. "I had no idea there would be more food here," Tony said soon after they entered the first area of stalls. "They should seriously consider changing the nickname for this place from 'City of Lights' to something food-related."

"I do not think I can eat one more bite."

"I'll be fine unless we find someone selling caramel apples then all bets are off." He looked around. "Reckon they _sell_ caramel apples in France?"

Ziva laughed. "If we come across a caramel apple stall, I will not stop you from buying as many as you want. Just do not ask me to help you eat them."

"You say that now, but the minute I buy one, it will be the bon-bon incident all over again."

"That is different," Ziva countered. "Bon-bons are chocolate."

"So, I'm safe until we see bon-bons or chocolate-covered apples?"

"For the most part, yes." She slipped her arm through his and he kissed her cheek. They went off to explore the Christmas Market.

"I need to find something for Tali," Tony said as they strolled down one of the rows of vendor stalls.

"I thought you said her Christmas gifts were all purchased and wrapped?"

"They are, but our little girl has gotten used to a gift every time I travel."

"It sounds like Abba may be spoiling her _just_ a little bit," Ziva replied, her thumb and index finger almost touching.

"It's not spoiling. It's more like...tradition."

"Tradition?"

"Yeah. It's our tradition. 'Spoiling' would be if I bought her _everything_, which I don't," he explained. "It's just a little something so she would know...I was thinking about her."

"You know that you will ruin all other men for her if you keep it up."

"That's the idea."

"You do not wish for Tali to be happy someday, like we are?"

"I do...as long as it is a _long_ way down the road."

"You are such a _dad_," Ziva said with a laugh, "and I love you for it."

"How about you help me pick it out?" Tony suggested.

"Is this not a gift from you?"

"Trust me, she doesn't care _who_ it's from. Nothing says we can't modify the tradition. The only reason you haven't helped before was because you were...away. Tali would love a present her Ima helped to choose." Tony flashed her the grin that melted her heart. "Besides, it will give me more of a chance to scope out caramel apples."

A few minutes later, while Tony was at a neighboring stall looking at their selection of cheeses, he heard Ziva gasp. He wandered to where she was. "Whatcha found, Zi?"

Ziva held out her hand so he could see the charm resting in her palm. It was a stick figure man and woman with a little stick figure girl between them. The three figures were holding hands. "Do you think Tali would like this?" There was a part of Ziva that was embarrassed to ask. As a mother, she should know her daughter's preferences.

Tony sensed what was on her mind. "I think Tali would _love_ it. She wore your Star of David until she started school. She knew it was her Ima's and it was special. I convinced her to leave it at home so nothing would happen to it. The part I _didn't_ tell her was I didn't want to risk the wrong people seeing it and making the connection to you. I didn't want to risk either you or her being subjected to any unnecessary danger."

"How did she react?"

"We have a pretty chill kid. She was fine with leaving the necklace at home, especially after Pop-Pop gave her Grandma's jewelry box to keep it in." Tony touched the tiny golden people. "This she can wear every day. It will be just as special because her Ima picked it out."

"You did so much to keep me alive to her."

"You _were_ alive," Tony countered. "She knew you were. You just couldn't be with us."

"The pictures you took, our 'visits' kept me alive," Ziva said. "The last few weeks, when I was so tired of running and my mind was torturing me with all of the bad times of the past three years, I thought of Ice Cream Day. It was...my 'happy place,' because the two of you were there."

"Now, every day can be Ice Cream Day. Just figuratively, though. I don't think I could handle it if it were_ every_ day. Little Miss DiNozzo is _serious_ about her ice cream."

"Just like someone else I know."

"Hey, now, Senior isn't here to defend himself…"

"As I recall, you said he _broke up_ the argument between you and Tali," she reminded.

"He called me 'Anthony.' That's how I knew he was serious."

"I _have_ to hear this story."

"I'm sure he will be more than happy to tell it to you." Tony gestured to the seller to get his attention. In his best taxi-cab French, he asked the price of the charm. They chose a gold chain for it and paid for their purchases which Ziva tucked away safely in the inside pocket of her jacket.

In the next set of stalls, Tony indeed found a vendor selling caramel apples. There were also festively decorated chocolate-covered ones. They bought extras under the guise of taking them to Tali, but Tony and Ziva both knew they would disappear before the night was over. They explored the rest of the Christmas Market, munching their apples and talking.

The cab ride back to the hotel was peaceful. Ziva laid her head on her husband's shoulder. "Did you have a good time at the Christmas Market?" he asked.

"I did. Thank you for taking me, although I know you were getting bored."

"I wasn't _bored_. I just think when you reach the point where people are selling _rocks_ that you've pretty much seen everything there is to see."

"They were polished stones for jewelry-making."

"And what are polished stones?" Tony asked. "Rocks." Ziva laughed. He wrapped his arm around her. "But I would look at a quarry full of rocks if it meant spending time with you."

"You say the nicest things."

"Hey, you're the one who makes a pile of rocks sound romantic."

Sooner than they realized, the cab was pulling up in front of their hotel. Tony paid the driver then he and Ziva walked inside hand-in-hand. They stole a few more kisses in the elevator. "I need to call the airline and double-check our reservations for tomorrow," he said when they reached the penthouse.

Ziva went to put away their purchases. Tali's necklace went into her bag, zipped safely in an inner pocket. The apples she carried back with her, knowing they would be eaten shortly. When she came out from the bedroom, she heard Tony say to whomever was on the other end of his call the tickets were for "Mr. and Mrs. Anthony DiNozzo." A smile spread across her face. That was the first time she'd ever heard them referred to as a married couple. That's who she was now. In a sense, Ziva David no longer existed. When they met in Israel after her "death," Tony urged Ziva to bury her past in the rubble of the farmhouse. Now, she could. Sahar had been the last ugly reminder of her father's "legacy" and the pain he'd caused. Ari and even Eli himself couldn't escape it, but _she_ had. Tony was such a big part of why. She sat on the sofa and listened to Tony continue to talk to the airline. As she listened, she picked up the complimentary pad and pen laying on the end table and began to write. She looked at what she'd written. זיוה דינוזזו. Ziva DiNozzo. She laughed, feeling like a middle school girl doodling her name with the name of her crush on her notebook. There were times when she wondered if she would live long enough to realize that dream. Ziva glanced at the rings on her left hand. She did though, again thanks to Tony. She was still writing when Tony came into the living area.

"We are all set," he announced. "As of 11 a.m. tomorrow, we will be winging our way to New York City." He snatched the caramel apple off the table. "What are you doing?" he asked, removing the wax paper and biting into his snack.

"Just doodling."

"Lemme see." He plopped down beside her on the sofa. "That's your name," he said, pointing to the first letters she wrote. "That is Tali." He looked at the unfamiliar characters. "Is that my name?"

"_Ken_," Ziva replied in her native tongue. She pointed to the letters אנתוני. "_Alef, nun, tav, nun_. Anthony."

"Wow! Cool!" Tony pointed to the matching characters under his, Ziva's, and Tali's names. "Does that say 'DiNozzo?'"

"It does." Ziva looked at her husband. "How did you know my name and Tali's name in Hebrew?"

"Tali wanted to learn how to write her name in 'Ima's letters.' I googled her name in Hebrew to teach her," Tony explained. "I learned your name...just because."

"You learned to write my name in Hebrew?"

He took the pen from her and wrote the Hebrew characters for his wife's name. "See?"

"And you did this just because?"

"Yeah. I mean, I guess there's some deep-seated psychological reason or something, but I just wanted...another piece of you to keep with me."

Ziva blinked back a tear. "Would you like to learn how to write _your_ name?"

"Sure."

She took his hand and guided it as it drew the four letters. "_Alef...nun...tav...nun_," she repeated as they went. "Anthony."

Ziva removed her hand and Tony tried for himself. When he successfully formed his name in Hebrew, he moved to Ziva's writing. Beside her perfectly formed characters he wrote, _Anthony DiNozzo, Ziva DiNozzo, _and _Tali DiNozzo_ in English. "There. That makes us a family in two languages." He stared at their handiwork. "Looks pretty natural, doesn't it, Sweet Cheeks? Your first name with my last."

"Get used to it, my little Hairy Butt. It is going to be like that for a long, _long_ time."

"I can live with that." Tony took one last bite of his apple and rewrapped the wax paper around the remainder. "So, Mrs. DiNozzo, how about we move this party to the bedroom and we cap off our first day of freedom with a grand finale we'll neither one forget?"

"I say, lead the way Mr. DiNozzo."

**Author's note: ****Our couple finally got their day in Paris. I rather liked writing the Tiva honeymoon, no angst or sadness, just them getting to enjoy themselves. There's one more chapter then an epilogue to wrap things up. This story has grown so much from the one-shot Chapter 1 was supposed to be. Thanks to everyone who has hung in there with me. The comments and reviews mean so much. Thanks to my BFF and the rest of my "support staff" for urging me on when I wanted to quit. Reviews are awesome. I truly appreciate every one. Happy Reading and TIVA FOREVER!**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

"A penny for your thoughts." Tony noticed that Ziva had been extraordinarily quiet for the past hour. It wasn't that she was always necessarily chatty during flights, especially long international ones, but she did little more than stare out the window.

"I am not sure that they are worth even that much," she said, breaking her silence. She offered a weak smile.

Tony took her hand and interlocked their fingers. "Talk to me, Zi," he urged.

"It is…"

"The next word I hear better not be 'nothing.' We both know better."

"I guess it is better to take the cow by the horns."

"Bull," he corrected, "take the _bull_ by the horns."

"Cows have horns, too, do they not?"

"Hmph. They do. I'll give you that. However, I don't care which bovine we are addressing. I want to know what's had you so distracted."

"You will think I am foolish."

"Hey, no one with the good sense to marry me can be foolish." He gave her a wink when she looked at him. "Is it about Tali?"

Ziva nodded. "What if…" She sighed. "What if she does not want me? It has been three years. You have made your own life together."

"Do you know what has happened for those three years? Every first star in the evening, every wishbone at Thanksgiving, every birthday, and about $700 worth of change tossed into wishing wells has been put towards a wish that her Ima would come home. If you don't believe me, there's about thirty-seven department store Santas who can back me up." He put the thumb of his free hand under her chin and tilted her face up to look at him. "I was wishing right along with her, except I kept them to myself. Mine were a little more...adult." He let the smoldering look in his eyes say what the close confines of the airplane wouldn't allow him to speak. "The life we have lived since we woke up that last morning in Cairo has been geared towards biding our time until we could be a family again."

"Everything now is just so..._new_," Ziva said quietly.

"But...that's the _good_ part," Tony said.

"It is," she agreed. "I keep telling myself that _this_ 'new' is not supposed to be scary, but...it is."

"You sound just like this little girl I know who didn't want to start Kindergarten because it was going to be different than what she was used to."

"What did you tell her?"

"That sometimes things are scary because they're new and when you get used to them, it's not scary anymore."

"Like having to learn how to be a father when a child is left with you suddenly?"

"Something like that."

"Did it work?"

"_I_ contend it was my speech that convinced her and _not_ the fact that Dad promised if she went to school every day the first week and didn't cry, he would buy her _Dumbo_ on Blu-ray."

"I am sure it was." Ziva grinned mischievously. "I wonder what he would buy me if I promised not to cry the first week I am home?"

"Most likely, whatever you wanted." Tony squeezed her hand. "If you trust me about _anything_, trust me when I say that there is absolutely no need to worry that Tali doesn't not want you home."

By 1:30 pm EST, they were on the road, headed to the DiNozzo home. Ziva watched the scenery as they drove with great interest. Tony pointed out points of interest along the way. "The next two you will become _very_ familiar with," he told her. "First is the school. Enter in the right driveway, exit out the left. This is important because any variance at all causes Mrs. Brinkley to go positively apoplectic." His wife laughed. "Apparently there's more power attached to the office of PTA president than we _ever_ imagined." They continued on a little bit past the school. Tony pointed ahead. "_That_ is Tali's favorite ice cream shop."

"Every Thursday, correct?"

"Yep. Every Thursday for Ice Cream Day, but also other special occasions like Report Card Day or birthdays…" He removed one hand from the steering wheel and took her hand. "And homecomings."

"Do you think Tali could be persuaded to go out for ice cream?"

"Are you kidding?" Tony slipped into his impersonation of his father. "That kid's a DiNozzo. She'll eat." Within ten minutes, they were pulling up in front of the house. "Here we are, _la casa di DiNozzo_," Tony announced. "Home sweet home."

Ziva looked at the large house in front of her. The past three years had been leading up to this moment. _Home_. It was what drove her in the darkest of days. Some days, it seemed as far away as the opposite end of the universe, yet, here it was...mere yards away. "I have never been here, but it feels like home. It is where my family is. That makes it home."

Tony cut the motor and pulled the keys from the ignition. "I would ask you if you're ready, but I already know the answer to that." He kissed her hand and gave her his most charming smile. "Welcome home."

The car doors had no more been shut when the front door flung open and a pink tornado barreled toward them shouting "Ima!" to the top of her lungs. Ziva crouched to be on her level and Tali hit her with such force it almost knocked her over. Tali's arms went around her mother's neck and Ziva enveloped her daughter in a bear hug. Tears flowed. Ziva kissed Tali's cheek and gripped her tighter.

"Daddy _promised_ you would come home," Tali whispered.

"And I am home," Ziva replied.

"Forever!"

Ziva couldn't respond, but she agreed. She was home forever. Never again would she have to sneak away into the night, leaving behind those most precious to her. She wouldn't miss any more important days in her daughter's life. Tony had been wonderful about getting pictures of Tali through the years, but none of those could compare to having her child in her arms in the flesh. She stood, taking Tali with her. "I have missed you so much."

"I missed you, too." Tali pulled back so she could see her mother's face. "I made a sign," she said, holding onto Ziva, but pointing behind her. "It says 'Welcome home, Ima' 'cause you are home. Pop-Pop helped me."

Ziva shifted Tali to her hip and looked in the direction the child pointed. She saw Senior standing halfway between them and the front door holding a large paper by one corner. He smiled at her and used both hands to display the aforementioned sign. It did read: "Welcome home, Ima" and was decorated with hand-drawn butterflies, rainbows, stars, hearts, and balloons. "It is a _beautiful_ sign." She noticed the stick figure family at the bottom and realized how much it looked like the charm she chose for Tali. Ziva carried Tali with her to meet her father-in-law. She wrapped her free arm around him and he hugged her and Tali. He kissed her cheek.

"Welcome home, Ziva."

"Thank you, Mr. DiNozzo."

He pulled back and looked at her with a shocked expression Ziva found comical. "_Mr. DiNozzo_? No one calls me 'Mr. DiNozzo' unless they're trying to sell me something. That won't do. We're family."

"You can call him 'Pop-Pop,'" Tali chimed in. "He likes it when I call him that."

"I do," Senior agreed. "You could call me 'Anthony,' but we've been through a little too much over the past few years to stand on _that _kind of formality. You can call me 'Dad.' After all, you're my daughter now."

Tears welled up in Ziva's eyes. "I... would like that very much."

Propped on Ziva's hip, Tali saw Tony as he came from getting their bags from the trunk. "Hi, Daddy," she said with a wave.

"Hiya, Rugrat," Tony said, walking to stand beside them. "Miss me?"

"Uh huh." The little girl's face was shining. "You promised you would bring Ima home. You kept your promise."

"Always, Baby Girl."

"It's important to keep your promises," she said. "A man is only as good as his word and keeping promises helps build trust."

Ziva quirked an eyebrow at Tony after hearing the adult statements from the mouth of their five-year-old. "See what I mean?" he said with a shake of his head. "Guess who she spends a lot of time with?"

"Want to come see my bedroom?" Tali asked Ziva. She cast a sideways glance to Tony as if to ask permission.

"Part of Ima being home forever means she lives here now," Tony explained. "It's her home, too. She doesn't need my permission. She can go anywhere she wants."

"Even _your_ room?"

"Yes," he answered, trying to keep his thoughts off of his face.

"It is a _big_ house," Ziva told her daughter. "I may need help finding my way around. Would you do that for me?" Tali nodded enthusiastically.

"Do you like our house?"

"I do."

"I like _my_ room the best." Ziva let Tali stand on her own, but Tali automatically grabbed for her Ima's hand. She wasn't ready to lose contact just yet. She practically pulled Ziva into the house. "My room is upstairs." With Tali in the lead, they navigated the large staircase, down the hall to a room with a crystal doorknob. "This is my room." The little girl threw open the door. The inside had soft lavender walls, white furniture, and was decorated in light pastel colors. "Do you like it?"

"It is beautiful."

Tali led Ziva to the full-size canopy bed to sit. The lower half of the bed was covered with stuffed animals. Tali introduced them every one by name. Kelev retained the place of honor on her pillow. Looking around the room, Ziva's eyes lit on a poster on the wall...a movie poster for _The Little Prince_. "Daddy gave me that," Tali explained. "I think it's cool. It was his when he was a little boy."

"It was?" Ziva asked, turning her head to catch sight of her husband.

"Uh huh. His mom gave it to him. She was my Grandma. Daddy took me to New York City and we watched that movie. I cried just a little bit. Have you seen _The Little Prince_, Ima?"

In her mind, Ziva went back to the darkened theater and the day she got to spend with Tali and Tony. That day meant so much to her. It had been the closest thing to a normal day they'd had together...until now. "I _have_ seen it," she answered.

"Did you cry?"

"Only a little bit," she said with a soft smile. She listened as Tali pointed out other points of interest in her bedroom. It seemed that everything had a story. She wouldn't stop her. There were so many days she would have given anything for a chance to hear that excited voice. Eventually, they reached the items on the table beside her bed. In a heart-shaped frame was a picture of Tali and Senior at a birthday party, smiling while donning purple and pink party hats. The next photo was the one Tony had shown her on their wedding weekend of the two of them at Tali's ballet recital. The last item made Ziva gasp. With trembling hands, she reached for the third frame. It was the photograph of Tony and Ziva on the Vespa in Paris...the same picture she'd packed in Tali's go-bag when they fled the farmhouse. She covered her mouth with her hand, overcome with a sudden rush of emotions. She remembered. Ziva remembered those days in Israel, days when she was confused and conflicted. Tali was merely a baby bump when she would prop the photo on her stomach and tell her unborn child about Tony, always beginning with "Your Abba is a good man…" She was determined her daughter know him. She kept that picture by the cradle in the room they shared. As Tali grew, she would sit in her mother's lap and Ziva would point to the faces in the photo, repeating over and over "Abba" and "Ima." By the time of the incident at the farmhouse, Tali would get the picture, bring it to Ziva, and say "Ima...Abba." Then, she would crawl beside her mother and listen intently as Ziva told her stories about her time with Tony in America and how much she loved him.

"Does that picture make you sad, Ima?" Tali asked, bringing Ziva back to the present.

"No," she assured her daughter. She brushed the tears off her cheeks. "These are happy tears. I am so happy to be here with you and Daddy and Pop-Pop that...my heart is very full."

"And that makes you cry?"

"Sometimes."

"Daddy said that was before I was born. That's why I'm not there." Tali looked at the images of Tony and Ziva. "You and Daddy are smiling. Was that 'cause you're happy?"

"We were that day." Again, Ziva looked at her husband and found him smiling. He was undoubtedly recalling the same memory as she.

"But not as happy as after I was born?"

"Never, my darling Tali." Ziva pulled her daughter close and kissed her hair.

Tali looked at her mother like a thought struck her. "Ima, are you going to sleep in my room tonight?"

"No."

"Do you get your own bedroom?"

"Ima will sleep with me...in my room," Tony said, inserting himself into the conversation. "Except it won't just be _my_ room anymore. It will be _our_ room...mine and Ima's."

"Oh." After a pause, Tali added, "Why?"

Tony took a seat beside them on the bed. "Well, Ima and I have something we need to tell you." He took Ziva's left hand and placed it alongside his in Tali's lap. "A couple of months ago, Ima and I got married."

"It had to be a big secret, so we did not tell anyone," Ziva added.

"You are the first person we've told." Tali sat stared at her parents' hands, saying nothing. Tony looked at Ziva. She raised an eyebrow. He licked his lips. "Is...is there anything you want to ask us?"

"Does this mean we're a real family now?"

"A real family?"

"Uh huh. Like Ryder and the other kids at school where the Ima and Daddy and the kids all live together?"

Tony opened his mouth to say that there were other ways to be a family, but decided against it. This wasn't the time. Someday, his daughter would learn the lesson of what makes a family. For today, this was her definition. This was what she wanted and this was what she was going to get. "That's _exactly_ what it means."

"Happy tears are okay, right, Ima?" the little girl asked.

"Happy tears are the best kind," Ziva told her.

"Good, 'cause I'm happy."

"Me, too, _yaldati_."

"Sit tight," Tony instructed. "I'll be right back." He moved off of the bed, left the room, and returned shortly. "I was going to wait to give you this, but I think this is the perfect time." His hand was behind his back. "We wanted a special present. Ima picked this out just for you," Tony said, bringing his hand from behind his back. He opened his fist and the chain spilled out. The charm dangled in front of their daughter's face. She gasped, looking at it with wide eyes.

"Our new family," Ziva said softly.

"It looks like my picture," Tali said. "How did you know? Did Pop-Pop tell you about our sign?"

"Nope." Tony grinned. "You have the same look on your face that Ima had when she found your present."

Tali looked to her mother. "Will you put it on me, Ima?"

"I think that is an _excellent_ idea." Tony passed the necklace to Ziva. He watched as she maneuvered behind their daughter. She laid the charm against Tali's throat so she could fasten the clasp. He was unsure of _exactly_ what happened because of the tears welling in his eyes. The two most important women in his life were finally together again. His _family_ was together again. These reunions had been a long time coming. Him and Ziva. Ziva and Tali. Out of the corner of his eye he saw his father leaning against the door frame. They experienced their own reunion of sorts...the one that helped set the rest into motion. Tony thought of a proverb he read while doing research online when he was trying to figure out how to communicate with Tali in the early days. _When trouble comes, it's your family that supports you._ From the beginning, that harrowing day mortar shells rained down on Eli David's farmhouse, that's what they'd been doing. Him, Ziva, Senior, Tali...they formed their own support system. _Famiglia... Mishpakha... Family._

**Author's Note: So, here we are...the end of the line. A special "thank you" to everyone who hung with me. Thanks for all of the favorites, follows, and reviews. They mean more than you know. There will be an epilogue soon the be the "official" end. A special shout-out to Jen for everything and to my "support team" for all you've done. Thanks to my BFF for being my sounding board. Reviews are awesome! TIVA FOREVER!**


	19. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

_One Year Later_

Tony DiNozzo drove home slowly. The roads were packed with people trying to get home in one piece. _He_ was one of those people. He cursed under his breath as he maneuvered the traffic. It wasn't even Christmas shopping that had him out and about. His haul was cooking oil, fruit punch, and a mega-pack of diapers. The cooking oil was for cooking Chanukah latkes. The fruit punch was for Tali. The diapers were for the unexpected souvenir from their trip to Paris.

Anthony David DiNozzo III recently turned three months old and was the darling of the family. Tony smiled thinking about Tali's reaction to the baby's name. Always full of questions, she immediately asked what his name meant. Ziva explained that Pop-Pop was the first Anthony DiNozzo, Daddy was the second Anthony DiNozzo, and her brother would be the third Anthony DiNozzo. He was named for them just as she had been named for her Doda Tali. She concluded that this meant she was the first _Tali_ DiNozzo and insisted on being called "Tali the First." She loved her baby brother, however, not at all jealous and always eager to help.

Tony breathed a sigh of relief when he finally made it back home. He dropped off his purchases in the kitchen. The house seemed quiet. He walked into the living room and found it empty.

"Is that you, Junior?"

"Yeah." Senior came into the room carrying his infant grandson. "Where is everybody?" Tony asked, taking a seat on the couch.

"Ziva and Tali are upstairs," his father explained. "She fed David and I offered to put him down for his nap so they could spend some time together."

"That was generous of you."

"I don't mind," Senior said. "Besides, rocking the baby is a good excuse to catch a nap yourself."

"I'll remember that." Tony reached out and his father handed him the baby before taking a seat beside him. The baby stirred briefly. "Hey, Big Guy. Daddy didn't mean to disturb you. Go back to sleep." Tony bounced the baby gently.

"How was shopping?"

"Horrible. How were things here?"

"Wonderful," his father answered with a smile. "I played cards with Tali while Ziva fed _him_ then David and I pondered life's great mysteries until he went to sleep." The older man touched the back of the little hand curled into a tiny fist. "Who could ask for a better time?"

"No argument from me," Tony said. He looked at the little boy he held. "It's been some year, huh?"

"You could say that." Whatever Senior was going to say next was interrupted by the ringing of his cell phone. He answered it quickly as not to disturb David. "I'll take this in my study," he told Tony. "Hello?" he spoke quietly, walking out of the room.

David's only response to everything going on around him was to sigh then nuzzle closer to his father. Tony smiled and kissed the tiny forehead. "Best souvenir I ever brought home," he said. Holding his son securely, he rose from the couch and made his way upstairs. He peeked into Tali's room but found it was empty. Sounds of voices and giggles were coming from the bedroom he shared with Ziva. Tony walked softly down the hall and stopped in the doorway. Tali and Ziva were snuggled together in the middle of the king-sized bed, an open book between them. They were taking turns reading from the Hebrew version of _Hop on Pop_ Tali received for Chanukah. Tony had been amazed at how fast Tali picked up her mother's language. He'd done his best to keep it alive by continuing to use the words and phrases she already knew, but he was nowhere near qualified enough to teach his daughter to _read_ Hebrew. Tony loved it when Ziva spoke Hebrew. It flowed out of her mouth so effortlessly. Her voice mesmerized him. Tali looked up and caught him staring.

"Daddy! I am reading _Hebrew_, just like Ima."

"I heard," he said, walking toward the bed. "You're doing great."

"Can you read Hebrew?"

"Nope, just speak a little bit."

"Want to listen to me read?" Tali asked.

"I would _love_ to." Careful not to wake the sleeping baby, Tony eased himself onto the bed and maneuvered closer to his favorite ladies. He lay back against a pillow and propped the baby on his chest. "Now, David, you're going to be a good _akh qatan_ while we listen to your _akhot_ _gedolah_ read."

Tali's eyes widened at her father who winked at her. She looked at her mother. "Daddy said he could speak some Hebrew," Ziva said, fighting back a smile. She flipped to the front of the book. "We will show Daddy and David what we have learned." Tali followed Ziva's finger and read "_qafuts 'al pop_" from the title page.

As he listened, Tony thought about where he was. Settled in this king-sized bed with his wife, daughter, and son was a long way from the lonely twin bed in his DC apartment. Here and now, it seemed like a million years ago. He'd lain in that twin bed and wondered what his future life would be like...what life with Ziva would be like. He imagined it, but part of him thought it was too good to be true to _ever_ be real. The infant asleep on his chest, the little girl who slipped her hand into his while she read, the woman who looked at him overtop their daughter's head and gave him the smile that still stopped his heart after almost two decades were _very_ real. _At lo levad_. Never alone...never again.

**Author's Note: And so...it ends. I admit, I'm a little sad that it's over. Writing my first Tiva story was quite an experience. THANK YOU to everyone who was faithful to read. It really means a lot. All of the kind words and reviews were so greatly appreciated. Thank you to every one of you that took the time to encourage me, especially when I wanted to give up. Happy Reading. I hope you enjoy Tiva's much-deserved happy ending.**


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